Jagannath Temple

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Sight Address : Jagannath Temple, Anand Bazar Konark-Kakatpur Rd, Puri, Odisha Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Jagannath Temple is one of the most renowned as well as the biggest temples of Odisha. Established in the 12th century, the temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), Lord of the Universe. The credit for laying the foundation of the Jagannath temple of Puri goes to Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev. The temple is located at a distance of 60 km from Bhubaneswar, on the coast of Bay of Bengal, and is greatly revered by the devotees following the Vaishnava traditions. There is an interesting legend associated with the Jagannatha temple of Puri. It is said that King Indradyumna, the ruler of the territory, saw Lord Jagannath in his dreams and following the Lord’s wishes, as told to him in his dreams, he got the Jagannath Puri Temple constructed. Situated in the heart of the holy city, the temple is visited by devotees from farthest corners of India as well as the world. It exudes splendor and its tall spires lend it a magnificent aura. The walls are embellished with exquisite carvings. The pillars that provide support to the temple are adorned with pictures depicting the life of Lord Krishna. In the list of the most splendid monuments of Odisha, Jagannath temple occupies a supreme position. One of the most popular attractions of the Jagannatha Temple of Puri comprises of its Rath Yatra that is organized every year. It is basically a chariot festival, where idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, the main deities of Srimandir, are taken to the Gundicha temple in bejeweled chariots and are brought back to the mandir in the same way.

Jagannath Temple, Puri

HistoryEdit

Jagannath Temple was established in the 12th century, the temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), Lord of the Universe. According to recently discovered copper plates from the Ganga dynasty, the construction of the current Jagannath temple was initiated by the ruler of Kalinga, Anantavarman Chodaganga Dev. The Jaga mohan and the Vimana portions of the temple were built during his reign (1078 – 1148 CE). However, it was only in the year 1174 CE that the Oriya ruler Ananga Bhima Deva rebuilt the temple to give a shape in which it stands today.
Jagannath worship in the temple continued until 1558, when Odisha was attacked by the Afghan general Kalapahad. Subsequently, when Ramachandra Deb established an independent kingdom at Khurda in Odisha, the temple was consecrated and the deities reinstalled. Perhaps in light of Chodaganga Deva’s Chola Dynasty ancestry, the customs, ritual and architecture of the temple follows a style syncretised with the Dravidian of South India and points to tribal Dravidian origins of the deity.Portuguese Catholic priest and author Fernão de Quieroz described it in the late 1600s as frequented by as many pilgrims as Rameshwaram, Tirumalai-Tirupati, Kilvelur, Kanchipuram, Vaijayanti in Bengal, but surpassed by Koneswaram temple, Trincomalee.

Must SeeEdit

Must See

Visiting TimeEdit

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Closed OnEdit

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Best Season to VisitEdit

In the time from November to February, Puri appears to be extremely pleasant because of the awesome weather and therefore, it is considered to be the best time to visit Puri. However, if you don’t want to meet huge crowds, then you can choose to visit it during the period between June and July.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning , Afternoon , Evening, Night.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

1-2 hrs.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

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Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A.

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Available, but you have put your taxi 1 km. away from the temple.

Bus : The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes. Minibuses to Konark leave every 20-30 minutes and also from Jatiababa Chhak. There are direct buses for Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.

Train : Puri is a terminus on the East Coast Railway having direct express and super fast train links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc. Some important trains are Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath Express; New Delhi; Purushottam Express. Khurda Road Station, 44 km, from Puri is convenient rail head for train to Chennai and Western India. The station is about one km North of the town. Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws compete aggressively to get you to a hotel.

Air : The Nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, 60 km.

Others : cycle rickshaws are available all over town. Auto rickshaws are also available but every few in numbers. Bicycle, moped or a motorcycle can be hired easily from several outlets on the Chakratirtha (CT) Road for trips to the coast and to Konark. Most travel agents in the city provide this service.