While talking about some of the major sites of pilgrimage we simply cannot miss out on the name of the Jagannath Temple Puri. This Jagannath Temple in Odisha is one of the 4 Dhams or one of the 4 major sites of pilgrimage. As a matter of fact people from all over the world visit here to pay their visit to Lord Jagannath. From the history to the architecture of the temple as well as the rituals everything about this temple is elaborate and unique. And everyone should visit this temple once to understand the importance of this temple for the devotees. Keep on reading this article to know more about the Jagannath Temple Puri. This will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a trip to the Odisha Jagannath Mandir soon.
Jagannath Temple Puri
Location: Shri Jagannath Temple, Grand Road, Chief Administration Office, Puri, Odisha
Timings: Jagannath Temple Puri timings are from 5:30 am to 9 pm
Darshan and Pooja timings:
1. Dwarpitha and Mangal Aarti 5 am
2. Mailam 6 am
3. Abakash 6 am to 6:30 am
4. Mailam 6:45 am
5. Sahanamela 7 am to 8 am
6. Beshalagi 8 am
7. Rosha Homa Surya Puja and Dwarapal 8 am to 8:30 am
8. Gopala Ballava Puja 9 am
9. Sakala Dhupa Mailam 10 am
10. Mailam and Bhoga Mandap (2 to 3 times a day)
11. Madhyanha food offering 11am to 1 pm
12. Madhyanha Pahudha 1 pm to 1:30 pm
13. Sandhya Aarti 5:30 pm
14. Sandhya Dhupa 7 pm to 8 pm
15. Mailam and Chandana Lagi 8:30 pm
16. Badashringara Vesha after Chandana Lagi
17. Bada Shringaar Laga Bhoga 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm
18. Khata Seja Lagi and Pahuda 12 am midnight
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
How to reach Jagannath Temple Puri
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the Jagannath temple is the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Odisha. From the airport the distance of the temple is about 60.5 km. It would take you around 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach the temple from the airport. You can easily take a car or hire a cab as well from the airport to reach the Puri Temple.
By train
While travelling in a train you can get trains from major locations to reach Puri. The Puri railway station is the nearest railway station to reach the Puri Jagannath Temple. From the railway station the temple is located at a distance of 2.6 km. The most convenient way to reach the temple from the railway station would be to take an auto rickshaw. Auto rickshaws are a common mode of transport in Puri so you can definitely opt for that to reach there. It would take you around 8 to 10 minutes to reach the Puri Temple from the railway station.
By road
If you wish to travel by road then you will get buses to reach Bhubaneshwar as well as Odisha from major locations. Both government as well as private buses are available on this route. Even AC Volvo buses and night buses are also available from major locations so you can opt for that as well. Or else you can take a car or hire a car as well to reach the temple from any location. You can opt for auto rickshaws as well if you are travelling within the city. Auto rickshaws are a convenient mode of transport in the city so you can travel shorter distances via autos as well.
Overview of Jagannath Temple
Shree Jagannath Temple Puri is one of the four dhams or one of the major sites of the 4 main pilgrimages. Located in the district of Odisha in the city of Puri this is a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. He is one of the forms of Lord Vishnu and is considered as extremely powerful by the devotees. Every year more than millions of devotees visit this temple and the number of visitors here is ever increasing. Another major attraction here is the Rath Yatra celebration or the Chariot festival that draws devotees from all over the world.
This is the temple where Lord Jagannath resides with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra. The architecture of the temple is outstanding and features a Kalinga style. It has ancient gates and the whole architecture reflects an old world charm. The whole atmosphere of this temple is very serene and peaceful. The street in front of the temple always bustles with the devotees. Overall it is worth visiting and it would be a great experience for anyone visiting this temple for sure.
Read More: BEACHES OF PURI | JAGANNATH PURI BEACH | BEST TIME TO VISIT
Jagannath Temple Puri History
The history of the Jagannath Temple Puri is actually related to a popular folklore. As the word Jagannath means the Lord of the Universe here the presiding deity is worshipped as Purushottama. This means someone who is the creator, protector as well as the destroyer of the world all at once. According to beliefs King Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva built the Jagannath Temple in Odisha during the 12th century. However the construction of the temple was completed in 1230 AD under the rule of Anangbheema Deva III and he installed the shrines of this temple.
Another important aspect of this temple is the unique tradition of Nabakalebara. This ritual takes place after every 8, 11, 12 and 19 years. Literally the word Nabakalebara translates to New Embodiment. The ritual is also connected to astrology and astronomical calculation. According to this tradition the idols of the temples get replaced.
Read More: TRADITIONAL DRESS OF ODISHA, WHAT IS THE TRADITIONAL DRESS OF ODISHA
Festivals in Jagannath Temple
The major festival of the temple is obviously the Rath Yatra Festival. And if you ever wish to witness the grand festival you must visit there during this festival. Every year the temple celebrates the festival with much grandeur and pomp. Thousands of devotees from all across the world come and visit the deities and take part in the festival. On the second day of the month of Asadha this festival takes place. For the festival three separate chariots are made for the three deities. On the first day of the festival the deities sit on their respective chariots. And the devotees take the chariots to the Gundicha Temple which is basically Lord Jagannath’s Aunts house. Again on the 10th day of the festival the idols get on to their chariots to get back to their original abode.
Other than the Rath Yatra festival various other festivals are also celebrated here. They are Snana Yatra, Dola Yatra, Makar Sankranti, Akshaya Tritiya, Chandana Yatra, Damanaka Chaturdashi, Jhulan Yatra, Shree Krishna Janma, Balabhadra Janma, Rishi Panchami, Saptapuri Amabasya, Ram Navami and a lot more.
Things to do at Jagannath Temple
Observe the Flag changing
During sunset every day the flag that is mounted on top of the main temple gets changed. For over 800 years without fail this ritual has been carried in the temple. The duty of this ritual lies with the priests and the Gajapati king assigns them. Every evening one priest climbs up the walls of the temple barefoot without any equipment. And then he changes the flag. The height of this temple is almost as tall as a 45 storey building but the flag changing happens with much ease. Such is the power and uniqueness of this tradition so make sure you witness the activity here.
Observe the silence
One of the most interesting things about the architecture of this temple is the missing sound of the sea here. As soon as you enter the temple here you would notice silence. You would therefore not be able to listen to the sound of the waves any longer.
Method of cooking Mahaprasad
The kitchen in the temple is one of the largest in the world. Moreover every day the servitors cook 56 items or Chappan Bhog here. However, what makes it unique is that they cook bhog for over 20,000 people everyday and on special occasions the number increases to 50, 000 people. Furthermore what makes it more interesting is the way of cooking as well. Here earthen pots are put on top of another but the pot which is at the top gets cooked first. However, not a single bite of the food here ever gets wasted. It is however not possible for the visitors to witness the process. But you need to make sure you are definitely getting the Mahaprasad from the temple.
Unique architecture
Other than the architectural formation you will get to see some really unique architectural details here. The height of the temple is huge yet you would never see anything fly over it. Unlike other temples here you will not see even the birds sitting on top of the temple or flying over it. Also another thing is the temple doesn’t have a shadow. No matter which time of the day it is, the shadow of the temple never falls on the ground. Furthermore there is another interesting thing to notice here. And that is the Sudarshan Chakra or the Nilachakra that mounts on top of the temple looks the same from all directions when you are spotting it from below. So when you visit the Puri Temple you need to make sure you notice all of these there.
Hotel near Jagannath Temple Puri
This is one of the most popular sites of pilgrimage as well as one of the most popular tourist sites as well. So you will find a huge number of hotels here with different budgets. However some of the hotels and resorts that you can check out here are:
1. Hotel Shreedev Grand
2. Hotel SunCity Puri
3. Hotel Shreehari Grand
4. Hotel Trimurti Heights
5. Hotel Puri Beach Resort
6. The Odyssey Inn
7. Mayfair Heritage Puri
8. Sterling Puri
9. Hotel Niladri Complex
10. Laxmi Guest House
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Jagannath Temple Puri and now you need to plan a visit there soon. This is one of the major sites of pilgrimage and you certainly cannot miss out on visiting there. So when are you planning a trip to the Odisha Jagannath Mandir? And also let me know if this article on the Shree Jagannath Temple Puri is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
