Ever wondered where the word "Juganaut" comes from?
It actually relates to giant chariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri, in the state of Orrisa on the East coast of India. Lord Jagannath spends the annual summer holiday at His Garden Temple, just out-side Puri. The Lord travels in great style and pomp as His enormous wooden chariot is pulled by thousands of devotees. Three large chariots are pulled along a very wide road as Lord Jagannath, His elder brother and younger sister travel to their summer residence.
(To read more about the Rath-Yatra festival, please click here.)
In a society ruled by a rigid caste system, Puri remains a historical enigma. The chief deities of Puri, Lord Jagannath, His brother and sister, are officially related to the local tribal people! Normally, tribals are considered to be outside the caste system and no high caste Hindu would eat any thing cooked by them. At Puri however, all the consecrated food is prepared by the Lord's relatives (tribals), and all Hindus eat this with great deference. This is probably the oldest attempt to reform the caste system. Puri is regarded as one of the most important shrines in India, seat of the Guardian Reagent of the East. For it to transcend the caste rules is brave and a sign of hope for the rest of India.
The main temple of Jaggannathji is vast by any standards. Made of solid stone, the temple has been added to over the years by numerous kings and devotees. Visitors pass through a series of 3 halls to obtain darshan of the Lord Jaggannath, Baladeva and their beloved sister Subhadra (wife of the heroic Arjun). The solid mass of the main spire of the temple is crowned by an enormous flag. Fluttering high above the town, the flag beckons pilgrims from all corners of the town to come and visit the shrine of the Lord of the Universe.
The rest of the temple complex consists of various shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, Narashimha, goddess Vimala etc. A number of halls have been built over the centuries, where people can gather for bhajans and religious discourses. The kitchen of the Lord provides the enormous amount of food consumed by the pilgrims. A beautiful garden is also attached to the temple, providing fresh flowers for the Lord everyday. This sea side town has numerous other shrines and temples, belonging to various Hindu sects.
Nearby villages are a treasure trove for the lovers of arts and crafts. Craftsmen of all sorts live within a computable distance from Puri and Bhubeneshwara (capitol of Orrisa). These villages house the master painters, masons, carvers, weavers, tailors etc. who service the numerous temples in the region. Tourists and pilgrims are their other great source of income.
Orrisa is an ideal place to shop for raw silks, paintings (on silk, cloth, local handmade paper), appliqué work (of cloth as well as mirror work), festival umbrellas, gold filigree work, silver jewellery, traditional "bidari" ware etc.
Orrisa is also an ideal holiday destination and as yet, undiscovered by majority of the Western tourists. It's long deserted beaches (an average Indian is not in need of a sun tan), picturesque villages and wildlife is the stuff books and post-cards are made of. It has pleasant climate all year round and is cheaper than some of the more popular destinations destination. It has great deal of history and architecture.
Bhagwat Shah