Welcome to Jagannath Puri, a city where science plays a secondary role and faith leads the way. It is the spiritual heartbeat of India. Specifically, Jagannath Puri is famous for its historic temple, Rath Yatra festival, and unique traditions.
Lord Jagannath is the main deity of Jagannath Temple. In addition, the Dham of Shree Jagannath puri is one of the sacred Char Dhams of India. You will be surprised to know about the mysteries of Puri Jagannath Temple.
Our site is your Jagannath Puri travel guide.
History of Jagannath Puri
The history of this temple dates back to the king of Puri in Odisha, Indradyumna (Indradaman). Indradyumna was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and the founder of Jagannath temple in Odisha. Earlier, King Indradyumna used to listen the scenery of Tirth dhams from the Vaishnavs. He could not go to the tirths of India because of the Kingship. Even, he used to perform ‘Mansi Bhakti’. One day, Indradyumna slept with the thoughts of Thakurji. He had an unbelievable dream. He saw a very gorgeous swaroop of Thakurji established in the mountains, but he had no other knowledge about the ‘Vigrah’. Soon, he again dreamt that Thakurji came and said to him that he was established in Neelachal Mountain and his swaroop is Neel Madhav. Thakur ji said that he wanted to come to Indradyumna.
The next day, the king sent his brother, Vidyapith, to the region of Neelachal Hill and Khol Tribe. But Vidhyapith did not find any Vigrah there. Afterwards, he came to know that the service of Neel Madhav was a secret to all. However, he made many efforts to know, but he failed. Lastly, he knew that Vishva Vasu, the chief of the tribe, was the secret servant of lord Vishnu. And, he tried to find the way to Neelachal Hills and was successful. But he was unable to get the deity of Neel Madhav.
Once more, Indradyumna had a dream of Neel Madhav Ji in which he said that he was coming to him. As a result, three long and heavy blocks of wood came floating over the river water. In fact, Indradyumna was ordered to call the great sculptors to make the statue of Jagnnath Ji. After many trials and efforts, an old artisian made the Vigrah for the temple. Therefore, Indradyumna made the temple of Jagannath Puri, Orissa.
Miracles of Jagannath Puri Temple
Flag direction – The flag on the top of the temple always flutters against the direction of the wind. This defies normal physics.
Sudarshan Chakra – On top of the temple Jagannath Puri, a Sudarshan Chakra always appears to face you, no matter where you stand around the temple.
No Shadow of the Temple – The main dome of Jagannath temple casts no shadow at any time of the day. Still, unexplained.
Mahaprasad- It is cooked in 7 pots placed stacked one over the other. Surprisingly, the pot at the top gets cooked first.
Never-Wasted food- The number of devotees who eat the Mahaprasad does not matter. It may be 2000 or 2 lakh. Prasad never falls short or gets wasted.
No Sound in the temple- Despite, being near the seashore, there is no sound inside the temple.
Birds avoid flying over the Jagannath temple- Birds and aeroplanes do not fly directly over the temple.
Rath Yatra: The Grand Chariot Festival
A grand journey for which everyone awaits. Moreover, the deities – Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra come out of the temple for the journey . Over three massive wooden chariots take the deities to their mother at the Gundicha Temple.
Millions of devotees come from worldwide. In this rath yatra of Puri, even kings are servants before the divine.
Rath Yatra 2025 began on 27th June and ends on 5th July. Especially, the Rath Yatra of Jagannath Puri continues for nine days, and many significant rituals are followed in this grand festival. Such as the Nabakalebara ceremony of replacing the idols every 12 to 19 years. Puri Rath Yatra is not famous only in India, but in the world.
Why should you visit Jagannath?
Jagannath Puri temple, located in Odisha, is the hub of stories. The spiritual treasure, the ocean of peace, and the sacred stories you have to visit here. At last, Jagannath temple welcomes everyone with an open heart.
Moreover, the beauties, mysteries, stories, and miracles of Jagannath Puri can not be described in just one blog.
The destination is a blend of beach beauty, sunrise, and the living deity. If you are planning a trip to Puri, this will help you a lot.
Frequently asked questions
Q.Who built Jagannath Puri Temple?
A. Initially, Raja Indradyumna established the idols of Jagannath Ji. Later, King Anantavarman Deva built its structure in the 12th century.
Q.What is famous about Jagannath Temple?
A.The Rath Yatra is the specialty of Puri Temple.
Q.What is the location of Jagannath Temple?
A.The Temple is in Orissa state of India.
Q.Who is Lord Jagannath?
A.He is a form of Lord Vishnu in Odisha.
Q.Is puri temple one of the Char Dhams?
A.Jagannath Puri is one of the four sacred Dhams of India.
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