Jagannath Temple
Description
The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu–one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. It is located in Puri in the state of Odisha, situated on the eastern coast of India. As per temple records, the mythical King Indradyumna of Avanti built the main temple of Jagannath at Puri. The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth century onwards, on the site of the pre-existing temples in the compound, but not the main Jagannath temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Many of the temple rituals are based on Oddiyana Tantras which are the refined versions of Mahayana Tantras as well as Shabari Tantras which evolved from Tantric Buddhism and tribal beliefs respectively. The local legends link the idols with aboriginal tribes and the datapaths (servitors) claim to be descendants of the Aboriginals. The temple is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnavite tradition.
Tales
King Indradyumna, son of Bharata and Sunanda, and a Malava king, commissioned the construction of the first Jagannath temple as per legends in Madala Panji, which is mentioned in the Mahabharata and the Puranas.
History
The temple located in the Utkala region was rebuilt by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the King of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the 10th century CE. He was originally a Shaivite but became Vaishnavite after conquering the region in 1112 CE. An inscription from 1134-1135 CE records his donation to the temple. This indicates that the construction of the temple started after 1112 CE. According to temple chronicles, the temple was founded by Anangabhimadeva II, but different chronicles mention different years of construction - 1196, 1197, 1205, 1216, or 1226. This suggests that the temple was either completed or renovated during the reign of Anantavarman's son, Anangabhima. The temple complex was further developed during the reigns of subsequent kings, including those of the Ganga and Gajapati dynasties.
Features
Deities:
Timings:
All week: 6 am to 9 pm
Built:
1161 CE
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