Soaring architecture of Jagannath temple - an honorary monument of India

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

This 11th century temple gave birth to the word "juggernaut" and is also famous for some mysteries that academic science still cannot explain.

While India has many wonderful temples renowned for its exquisite architecture, impressive legends and colorful rituals, the Jagannath Temple in Puri has a special place.

The 11th century temple is one of four Char Dham temples in India, each located at a cardinal point on the compass. Jagannath is a huge complex covering an area of 37,200 square meters with at least 120 temples and shrines. Rich, intricate sculptures and carvings and soaring architecture make it one of the most magnificent monuments in India.

The temple is famous for the annual festival of Rath Yatra, or chariot. During the festival, massive chariots drag along the streets surrounding the temple carrying large wooden representations of the three major deities. The size and strength of these chariots, coupled with the fervor of the swarming crowd of believers, gave rise to the term "juggernaut."

A British chaplain who oversaw the festival in the 19th century said he saw devoted believers throw themselves under the wheels of chariots and coined the term "juggernaut" to mean force majeure. For him, as a Christian missionary, the juggernaut was a symbol of irresistible, cruel and dangerous power.

But the Rath Yatra holiday is famous not only for this. He is also known for his mystical and spiritual strength, the many legends and beliefs that surround him, and some mysteries that defy scientific explanation.

For example, the flag at the top of the temple's main spire flies in the opposite direction of the wind. Apparently, there is no scientific explanation for this phenomenon, as well as the fact that neither birds nor airplanes fly over the temple.

Adding the mystical nature of the temple, I would like to note that the building is built in such a way that it never casts a shadow.

It is also interesting that the metal sculpture at the top of one of the towers, called Sudarshan Charka, can be seen from every corner of the city of Puri, and always seems to be facing the viewer. When a person enters the Jagannath Temple through the Singadwaram door, he can hear the sound of the ocean waves (Puri is on the Bengal Sea). But after the first step, he can no longer hear the ocean waves at all. In fact, one cannot hear the sound of the ocean waves anywhere inside the temple complex.

According to one legend, the temple kitchen, which feeds from 25,000 to 100,000 people a day, is headed by the goddess Mahalaxmi, and if she is unhappy with the food, a dog mysteriously appears in the kitchen and all food must be thrown away. Chefs will have to start from scratch.

Jagannath Temple is also home to a religious ritual dating back over 1800 years. Each day, the priest ascends to the equivalent of the 45th floor of a regular building to change the flag. Local people say that if this ritual is skipped for even one day, the temple will be closed for 18 years.

Local believers also claim that it was in this temple that chess was played in ancient times as a sacred game of the gods, presented to people. The author's site shashki.biz offers to play online various exciting logic games, including various types of checkers.