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Located in the Eastern state of Odisha, the Jagannath Puri temple is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimage sites in India. It is a temple full of unresolved mysteries which has left even the greatest minds mute. This temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu, and holds great significance for the people of India. Moreover, it is an architectural masterpiece recognised for its Kalinga style of architecture. It took about three generations for the construction of the temple to be completed. Did you know that the Sudarshan Chakra, a metal wheel, is so heavy that researchers today fail to comprehend how it was placed at the top of the temple? Take a look at some other interesting fun facts about the Jagannath Puri temple.
Interesting Facts About the Jagannath Puri Temple
1. Anantavarman Chodaganga of the Ganga Dynasty commissioned the temple.
2. Lord Jagannath is the principal deity of this temple. He is accompanied by his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
3. The flag at the top of the Jagannath Puri Temple flutters in the opposite direction of the wind.
4. According to an 1800-year-old tradition, a priest climbs the Shikhara of the Jagannath Temple every day to change the flag.
5. If the priest skips the ritual, the temple remains closed for 18 years.
6. The famous Jagannath Puri temple is as tall as a 45-story building.
7. The idols worshipped at the Jagannath Puri temple are made of wood.
8. The idols are replaced with new idols during Nabakalera, a ritual done once every 8, 12, or 19 years.
9. The carving of new idols is done using the wood of sacred neem trees and must be completed in 21 days.
10. The last Nabakalebara took place in 2015.
11. The Rath Yatra is an annual parade in which the deities are carried outside the temple on chariots.
12. The temple does not have a shadow no matter the time of the day or the position of the sun.
13. Thousands of priests place 7 earthen pots on top of each other to cook the Mahaprasadam. The topmost pot gets cooked first followed by the rest.
14. The Mahaprasad served to Lord Jagannath consists of 56 delicacies. It is served in 5 phases.
15. Once you step inside the temple, you will not hear the sound of the sea. According to a folktale, Goddess Subhadra wished for the temple to be a place of peace and serenity.
16. No one has ever seen a bird flying at the top of the temple.
17. The temple prepares the same amount of food or the Mahaprasad every day. Despite the number of pilgrims, the food is never wasted and no devotee remains unfed.
18. The Sudarshan Chakra appears the same from every angle despite where you are looking at it.
19. The Jagannath Puri temple complex is home to more than thirty smaller temples.
FAQs
Some interesting facts about the Jagannath Puri temple are that it is dedicated to the trinity of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, no bird or plane flies in the sky above the temple, and its flag flows in the opposite direction of the wind.
One speciality or unique thing about the Jagannath Puri temple is its famous Ratha Yatra in which the deities are carried outside the temple on chariots.
One interesting fact about the Jagannath Puri temple is that it casts no shadow.
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