The Jagannath Temple
Quick Facts
- Location:
- Puri,Odisha
- Best Time to Visit:
- All Year Round
- Opening Hours:
- Every Day 6.00AM to 10PM
- Official Website:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagannath_Temple,_Puri
About This Place
The Jagannath Temple in Puri, one of the four revered Char Dham pilgrimage sites for Hindus, is a colossal 12th-century marvel dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu. Built in the distinctive Kalinga architectural style, the temple stands majestically on a raised platform, its towering 65-meter high curvilinear spire (Vimana) a beacon of faith visible from afar. The temple complex is enclosed by two formidable walls and features four main gates, each with symbolic animal sculptures, leading to various halls including the Jagamohana (assembly hall), Natamandapa (dancing hall), and Bhogamandapa (offering hall). Unique to this temple are its wooden deities of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra, which are replaced in an elaborate ritual known as “Nabakalebara” every 8, 12, or 19 years. The temple is also famous for its massive kitchen, one of the largest in the world, which prepares the Mahaprasad (sacred food) for thousands of devotees daily, and for the globally renowned Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival), where the deities are ceremoniously pulled in grand chariots to the Gundicha Temple.
Things to Do Here
- Mangala Alati (5:00 AM): The auspicious morning lamp offering, when the temple doors open.
- Abakash (6:00 AM - 6:30 AM): Symbolic purification rituals for the deities.
- Sahanamela (7:00 AM - 8:00 AM): A period where devotees can have a closer darshan without special fees.
- Sakala Dhupa (10:00 AM): Morning food offering.
- Madhyana Dhupa (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM): Midday food offering (temple might be closed for darshan during parts of this).
- Sandhya Dhupa (7:00 PM - 8:00 PM): Evening food offering and aarti.
- Badasinghara Besha (9:00 PM - 10:00 PM): Deities are dressed for rest, followed by the final food offering.
Photo Gallery