Jagannath Temple

The city of Puri hosts the famous temple of Lord Jagannatha or Vishnu, one of the most prominent Gods of Hinduism. The word Jagannath means Lord of the Universe. It was constructed dating back to the 12th century by Raja Anant Varman Chodaganga Dev. The temple has a 214 feet (65 meters) daunting spire. It takes the image of a fort inside with 6000 temple servitors, a temple kitchen feeding approximately 10000 people daily (the number increases on occasions) and above all the idol of the Lord himself which serves as the pivotal point to the people of the city. The temple is guarded with a 650 feet boundary wall. The images of the deities are made of wood. The temple not only endorses a great implication to the people of the state, but Hindus from all over the country and across the globe as well. However, although non-Hindus are not welcomed in the temple premises yet they get a feeling of the colourful mystical influence of the deity in the city markets and roads. Hundreds of followers and sages pay visit to the temple on regular basis. The extreme veneration reverence of the Lord Jagannatha shoots to the pinnacle during the annual festival of Ratha Yatra in the month of June – July. During this festival, the idols of Lord Jagannatha, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra are taken in conventionally richly adorned gigantic chariots, hauled by countless aficionados to the Gundicha Ghar where they lodge for a week. The entire practice is recurred when the deities are returned to the temple. Earlier, the devotees used to throw themselves underneath the wheels of the giant chariots.