Holy Pilgrimage - Temples dedicated to Jagannath -3 at 6:14 AM

Holy Pilgrimage  - "Temples dedicated to Jagannath"

 

 Jagannath Temple, Koraput, Orissa

 

 

Sri Jagannath temple (popularly known as "Sabarasrikhetra") is a temple located in Koraput, Odisha. It is not only built as an altar for worship, but also as a multipurpose area for Jagannath consciousness. Jagannath consciousness is the main theme of Jagannath which can not be confined within the limits of a traditional religious theological order, because it is a cult (or even a philosophical system).
Koraput: The tribal region of Odisha's Koraput is not only known for its dense jungle and natural beauty, but it is the abode of Lord Jagannath, which is known as the Sabara Srikhetra.


 Like Puri, Lord Jagannath, Lod Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are also worshipped here at Sabara Srikhetra. But it has a unique tradition that no section of the society is prevented to entry to the temple. It is open to everyone right from lower caste people, tribal people to upper caste community.


According to Jagannath culture, the lord is of a tribal origin. Lord Neelamadhav (previous form of Lord Jagannath) was originally worshipped by a tribal man, Sabar chief Viswavasu in the dense jungle near Khurda's Kantilo.


Even today, the tribal culture is reflected during Pahandi Bije on the day of the famous Rath Yatra. The lords used to be decorated with Tahia, a tribal crown, the lords wear on their heads.


 The Sabara Srikhetra is an altar for worship to develop Jagannath consciuosness harmonising the tribal and other beliefs. The temple was founded by Pyaromohan Mohapatra, the then the Chief Administrator of D.N.K Project Koraput, Dr. Jagabandhu Samal, Reader D.A.V. College Koraput, Dr. P.C.Mohapatra, Koraput Sri Abhaya Mohapatra the Then PRO Koraput, Sri Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, the Present Secretary of Sabara Srikhetra Temple and Dr Nirod Gochhayat.


The special attraction of the temple is that it has deities of main shrines like Badrinath, Rameswaram and Dwarkanath. Like Puri, all the rituals used to get performed here in Sabara Srikhetra. Thousands of devotees used to come to the temple everyday for darshan.


There are accommodations for pilgrims and tourists near the temple. The temple Trust has a university like educational institute Council of Analytical Tribal Studies (COATS) to show the people the tribal culture, its customs, history and society.


The temple administration also conducts the famous Rath Yatra and lakhs of devotees come and see their lords on the chariots.

 

Sabara Srikhetra - A Sacred Place in Koraput

 

 

Transport

Koraput has good linkage with other parts of the state as well as some major cities of neighboring states, by means of rail and road. National highway number 26(43) passes through the town which connects it with Raipur and Visakhapatnam. Buses are a plenty from Vishakhatanam and Vizianagaram to Koraput. Now-a-days many private cabs are also available from Vizianagaram, which costs about Rs.220-300 per head. Buses to Jeypore, Jagdalpur, Umerkote, etc., also passes through Koraput.
By Rail, it is well connected with Rayagada, Visakhapatnam, Jagdalpur, Howrah, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela.

 

 

 

Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh, Orissa

 

Jagannath temple at Nayagarh, was erected by Vinayak Singh Mandhata in between 1788 and 1808 AD. It is unfinished, the architect of this temple was the father of the poet Yadumani. Jagannath temple at Laxmi Prasad area was erected by Jadunath Mangaraja, a king of Khandapada. It was reconstructed in 1972 by one Sri Nilakantha Sahu. Jagannath temple at Khandapada was erected by the king of Khandapada. The temple is in pancharatha Rekha Deula style, while the Jaga mohan and Natamandapa are in Pidha Deula style. The idol of Jagannath called DadhiVanana was brought from the temple at Tikiripada and installed here. The idols from this temple were installed there. Jagannath temple at Tikarapada was constructed with the stones of the tomb of Gosanga Daitya, a demon ruling in this area in the past. The first temple was constructed in 1850. It was due to the flood of the Mahanadi in that year. The Jagannath temple at Ranpur was erected by King Udhaba Singh in 1324-1363 AD. The Jagannath temple at Daspalla is also an old one and Rajapratisthita. Jagannath temple at Sikharpur (Saranakul) is a unique one where bread (Roti) is offered to the Lord, his queen built the Mukhashala. Main festival here is Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra.

Jagannath temple at Nayagarh, was erected by Binayak Singh Madhata in between 1788 and 1808 A.D. It is unfinished, the architect of this temple was the father of the poet Jadumani. 

Jagannath temple at Laxmi Prasad was erected by Jadunath Mangaraja, a king of Khandapara.  It was reconstructed in 1972 by one Sri Nilakantha Sahu.

  Jagannath temple at Khandapara was erected by the king of Khandapara.  The temple is in poncharatha rekhas style, while the Jagamohana and natamandapa are in pidhi style.  The idol of Jagannath called Dadhibabana was brought from the temple at Tikiripada and installed here.  The idols from this temple were installed there.  Jagannath temple at Tikarapada was constructed with the stones of the tomb of Gosanga Daitya, a demon ruling in this area in the past.  The first temple was constructed in 1850.  It was due to the *** flood of the Mahanadi in that year. 

Jagannath temple at Sikharpur (Saranakul) is a unique one where breaqd (Roti) is offered to the Lord, his queen built the Mukhashala.

                        The Vaishnavite Deities are Radhanath Jew, Radhamohan Jew Gopinath Jew, Lachha vana Balaji at Nayagarh; Raghunath Jew and Madan Mohan Jew at Badapandusar; Rasa Bihari at Baunsipada; Mahavir temple, Brajabihari temple and Madan Mohan temple at Dasapalla.  Besides, there are so many Vaishnava shrine in the District.

                     Though the Rajas of Nayagarh were Saivites of the Lakulisa Pasupata Sect, they were equally devoted to the Vaisnavite faiths. Raja Bagha Singh (1480-1510 A.D.), who rose from the status of a petty chieftain of Ralaba to the stature of a Raja Samanta (feudatory chief), created a new Fort (Nuagarh) at the present principality of Nayagarh. He is credited with having made small icons of Shree Vigraha Chaturdha Murty, and installed the Deities in a mud altar on the foothill of Balarama, for the first time in the history of Nayagarh.

During the rule of Raja Ramachandra Singh (1720-30 A.D.), the small icons of the Chaturdha Murty were removed to Sinduria. New icons of comparatively bigger size were constructed and worshipped at Nayagarh, on an altar of black chlorite stone.

It was during the reign of Raja Binayak Singh (1793 - 1823 AD) that the present icons were installed in the newly built temple of Sri Jagannath on the foothill of Balarama. The old images installed by Raja Ramachandra Singh were removed to the temple precinct of Sri Ladu Baba of Sarankul. The stone altar on which the Deities were installed by Raja Ramachandra Singh was sold for a nominal price of Rs.250 in 1890 A.D. to Neela Kothlok of the palace (Kept of the Raja), which was used as the pedestal (padma prusta) of Lord Gopinath Jeeu.

Only the main sanctum (viman), 120 ft. in height, was constructed by Raja Binayak Singh. However, he had kept Rupees 60 (Sixty) thousand along with some building materials for the construction of the frontal porch, or jagamohana. Due to his demise in 1823 A.D., the work could not be completed. His son, Raja Brajabandhu Singh, spent the money otherwise, to purchase the estate of Baramba, which was then being sold on auction to repay back loans. So the frontal porch of the temple of Lord Jagannath could not be built. However, a flat-roofed pucca building was later built to serve the purpose of jagamohana.

The main temple of Lord Jagannath is of a rekha order, characterised by a Pancha Ratha plan. As usual, Varaha, Narasingha and Trivikrama are installed as Parsvadevatas around the main sanctum.

On the lintel of the doorjamb there are stone carvings of the nine planets. Just above the planets there is the carving of Gajalakshmi. It is said that Raja Binayak Singh sought the assistance of Mukunda Mahapatra, a sculptor from the state of Athgarh (Ganjam). Mukunda was the father of the famous poet Jadumani Mahapatra. Mukunda's father, Raghumani Mahapatra, carved out the icon of Radha Ballava for the Raja of Athgarh.

Raghumani's father, Artabandhu Mahapatra, was the main mason to make the icon of Lord Jagannath in the state of Athgarh. In all probability, Raja Binayak Singh, who had a family connection with the Raja of Athgarh, might have invited Mukunda Mahapatra to house the family at Itamati with royal land grants, to use his masonry skill. Mukunda also carved out the image of Lord Radha-mohan Jeeu installed in the palace precinct.

Raja Binayak Singh introduced the Chhatisa Niyog Sevas for the Deities in the line of Lord Jagannath of Puri. He also recorded huge land grants to defray the expenses of the temple. The royats of Sakiri were providing fine rice, measuring sixty-two cart loads of paddy. They were also discharging other bethis (services free of cost) for the temple.

Royats of Itamati were discharging bethis for the Gundicha Bhawan. Royats of Balipatna, Gundi Gadia and Bhalia Padar were discharging the duty of prahari (doorkeeper) on bethi. All the royats were providing vegetables for Dwitiya Osha.

The Car Festival, Makara, Chandan and Snana Yatras are the chief festivals of the Deity. In the line of Lord Jagannath Jeeu of Puri, here also three chariots are used for Rath Yatra. The making of the chariots starts from the day of Akshyaya Tritiya. The Khonds of the state were previously providing the ropes and discharging some other duties on bethi. Nowadays, the Debottar Department assumes all responsibilities for the festival.

On the day of the car festival, the Raja of Nayagarh comes from the old palace in a grand procession and performs the chhera panhara (sacred sweeping) of the chariots with a golden broom. Then only the chariots start their journey to the Adapa Mandapa. In the Adapa Mandapa (Gundicha Ghara) also all rituals like that of Puri are observed with pomp and grandeur. The festival ends with the return journey (Bahuda Yatra). Like the sacred Mahaprasad, here also Anna Prasad (rice, dal, curry, etc.) is available in earthen pots (kudua) to the devotees of the Lord.

 

 

How to Reach:-  

• 2 km far from Nayagarh Busstand,
• 90km from Bhubaneswar.

 

 

Jagannath Temple, Pabna, Bangladesh

 

Jagannath Temple located in Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna District, Bangladesh is dedicated to the Hindu god Jagannath. Locally known as the Handial Mandir, the temple was built between 1300 to 1400 CE. The temple is famous for its terracotta sculptures, and has been described as one of the most beautiful Hindu temples in Northern Bangladesh.  The temple is incurring damage by high salinity from the soil it is built on.

 

Temple awaits repair for 400 years

The Jagannath Temple at Chatmohor in Pabna and, right, the eroding terracotta and decorative plaques on one of the walls of it. The temple was built on the Korotoa over six hundred years ago.

The over 600-year-old Jagannath Temple at Chatmohor upazila in Pabna is about to fall into ruin as it has not been repaired in 400 years.
Badrul Alam, a field officer of the department's Rajshahi division office, said the temple, locally known as "Handial Mandir", was declared a protected monument on April 12, 1934, according to an issue of Calcutta Gazette of West Bengal.
According to archaeological documents, the temple was built on the Karotoa between 1300AD and 1400AD, the officer claimed.
Bhawani Prasad, whose identity could not be known, in the year 1590AD renovated the 87.45 square metre temple, with a height of 11.21 metres from the basement. This information was found engraved on a wall of the temple.
Officials of the department presume that no repair work was made since. The department is going to do some repairs now even though it was declared a protected monument 74 years ago.
However, Jagannath Temple, one of the most beautiful Hindu temples in the northern part of the country, has been attracting tourists and visitors with its eye-catching beauty and terracotta.
High salinity of the ground the temple is built on is eroding much of the terracotta and ornamental bricks that are still in place. Hundreds of them have been misplaced or stolen over the years, a senior official of the department said.
The terracotta panels are placed between the decorated lines of bricks on the outside walls of the temple.
Officials of the archaeology department said the temple may attract more visitors if it is renovated.

 

 

 

Jagannath Temple, Sialkot, Pakistan

 

The Jagannath Temple in Sialkot, Pakistan, is dedicated to the Hindu God Jagannath. The temple was built in the city's Paris Road area in early 2007 with a special grant of 200,000 rupees from Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. The special grant was given through the minority MPA Joseph Hakim Din due to the efforts of Hakem Ratan Lal Bhagat ,Member of the District Peace Committee of and the participation of the Hindu community of Sialkot.

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)                                                                                                                              

(My humble  salutations to the great devotees ,  wikisources  and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )