Holy Pilgrimage - "Temples dedicated to Jagannath"
Mohanpur Jagannath temple, West Bengal
Jagannath temple is one of the ancient temples in Mohanpur in the Midnapore district of West Bengal, India. It is situated about 20 km from Jaleswar, 16 km from Egra and 201 km from Kolkata. Idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra are present in the temple. This temple was constructed around 1611 by Karmahapatra family and is currently in a ruined condition and requires preservation. Legend is that the Puri Jagannath Mandir is visible from the peak of this temple.
Shri Jagannath Puri Temple
The Shri Jagannath Puri Temple is a provincial heritage site in Inanda in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
In 1979, it was described in the Government Gazette as
23m high tower (sikhara), single entrance capped by an octangenal
squat shape and a dome...This richly ornamented temple was constructed by
Pandit Shiskishan Maharaj, a Hindu priest who immigrated to South Africa in
1895. The temple, surrounded by a moat, was dedicated to the Hindu god
Jagannath.
Patali Srikhetra, Orissa
Patali Srikhetra is a famous place with significant historical importance for Subarnapur district, and Orissa. This religious place is associated with Shaktism, Buddhism and Vaishnavism. It is located in the foot of Trikut Hill at Kotsamalai of the Birmaharajpur subdivision of Subarnapur district, Orissa, India. It widely believed that the idol of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were kept hiding in the caves of the Trikut for a period of 144 years.
Raktavahu and Patali Srikhetra
The Madalapanji describe that during the invasion of Raktavahu, a king named Sovanadeva of Orissa escaped with the images of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. He then reached the Kosal tract in Sonepur and buried the images at a place called Sonepur-Gopali. After 144 years, a king name Yayati Keshari of Somavamsi dynasty got the images and made new images. He built a temple at Puri and enshrined the idols.Archeological evidence
Subsequently Archeological Survey of India team led by Dr. Dimiri and State Archeology led by Dr B.K. Ratha in the company of State Architect Mr Beura paid a visit and testified the linkage of Patali Srikhetra with Srikhetra and also found archeological properties of pre-historic importance.
BALANGIR: For the third year in succession, the car festival could
not be held at Patali Srikshetra at Kotsamalei village in Subarnapur district.
The reason: The three idols that were sent from Puri in 2007 are yet to be
consecrated.
After Patali Srikshetra was discovered near Trikuta hill in
Subarnapur, a high level team of officials of Puri temple administration
visited the place and chalked out plans to link Puri to the place.
The then chief administrator of Puri temple Suresh Mahapatra
during his visit to the place promised to link Patali Srikshetra with Puri
temple.
The car festival was supposed to be held here akin to Puri’s.
Accordingly, three idols were sent from Puri to Kotsamalei in 2007. But, for
reasons best known to the district administration, officials and Patali
Srikshetra Action Committee (PSAC), the car festival couldn’t be organised and
the idols were kept packed in a room. Earlier, the villagers were celebrating
the festival in their own way with limited means.
The exsecretary of PSAC Biranchi Mahapatra alleged that the idols
could not installed because of undue interference of the ruling party members.
“The ruling party members are playing politics over this. Their leader here is
craving for recognition. Unless he becomes the centre of attraction during
installation rituals, he won’t let anything happen”, alleged Mahapatra.
Subarnapur Collector Bhawani Shankar Panda said that there was no
clear instruction from the government nor was there any intimation from Puri
temple administration regarding consecration of idols at Patali Srikshetra.
“I am looking into details as to why the festival couldn’t be
organised for three years. I will submit a report regarding this to the temple
administration in consultation with members of PSAC,” he said.
Patali Srikhetra is one of the significant historical sites as
well as holy shrines associated with Saktism, Buddhism and Vaishnavism. It has
already been declared as tourist centre by Department of Culture, Orissa. It is
located at the foot of Trikut Hill at Kotsamlai in the Birmaharajpur
Subdivision of Subarnapur District. The approximate distance of the site from
the district head quarters is 23 KM. The spectacular topography of the region
speaks volumes of its proud-past. No wonder, it assigns the seal of affirmation
to the literacy, epigraphic, numismatic and traditional accounts relating to
the “Secret- abode” of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra in the
impenetrable caves of the Trikut for a period of 144 years. As per the
narration of Madalapanji, Sovanadeva, the King of Orissa fled from the city
with the images of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra during the
Raktavahu invasion and reached his western frontier in Sonepur and buried the
images at a place called Sonepur-Gopali, and that after a lapse of 144 years,
Yayati Keshari of Somavamsi dynasty got the images dugout, made new images,
built new temple at Puri and enshrined them there. On this score, it is
naturally a matter of immense pride for the people of Subarnapur district that
the Temple Administration, Jagannath Temple, Puri extended official
recognisation to the “Patali Shrikhetra “ on February 20, 2007 under the
captainship of Sri Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, IAS, the Chief Temple
Administrator and R.D.C, Central division. Further, they proposed for the
setting up of positive and cordial link between Srikhetra and Patali Srikhetra
in letter and spirit. Subsequently Archeological Survey of India team led
by Dr. Dimiri and State Archeology led by Dr B.K. Ratha in the
company of State Architect Mr Beura paid a visit and testified the linkage of
Patali Srikhetra with Srikhetra and also found archeological properties
of pre-historic importance.
A comprehensive, eco-friendly and integrating plan is being
formulated for all round development of the place.
Apart from the facts relating to Vaishnavism, the said site also
bears indispensable imprints of Vajrayanism and Sahajajana Buddhism which
flourished in this tract under the guidance of the Philosopher–King
Indrabhuti of Sambalaka i.e sambalpur and Lakhmikara of Subarnapur. It was king
Indrabhuti, who inaugurated the tradition of worshiping Lord Jagannath as the
infallible incarnation of Buddha. This theory includes the historians to believe
that the Jagannath Culture originated from Vajrayanism. In addition, there is
still a novel version well circulated in and around Kotsomalai that the oldest
Shrines of the Goddess Stambheswari and that of Jagannath Trinity located in
the heart of the village indicate the Siva-Sakti co-relation. In fact, these
shrines need immediate protection for the sake of preserving the unique legacy.
Last but not the least, the monastery of the great Saint and poet
Baba Chandramani Das located at Baghapali at the opposite end of the Trikut
Hill and nearby Kotsamlai spontaneously steals the glances of the onlookers and
communicates a message of intellectual and spiritual fraternity.
Thus the site is squarely enriched with the lofty legacies of
ancient Orissan History, Culture and hence deserves to be frontlined in the
OTDC network. Govt. of Orissa , Torism Department may construct a Tourist
Banglow at the foot hills besides plying of a regular OTDC bus from Patali
Srikhetra to Srikhetra (Puri).
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the great devotees
, wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the
collection )
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