Amazing Facts About Jagannath Temple in Puri -Instaastro

About Jagannath Temple:

Shree Jagannath Puri is one of the remarkable temples in the Indian state of Odisha. This is one of the Chardham pilgrimages and is popular as Shrikshetra Dham. Annual pilgrimages to the Puri temple is called Rath Yatras. The three principal deities are on enormous and extravagantly decorated temple raths or vehicles that people pull from on. Here are a few astonishing facts about Jagannath Temple; you must know.

Flag Direction

People observe the red flag at the top of the temple’s dome that generally flows in the opposite direction of the wind flow.

The Sudarshan Chakra

The chakra is 20 feet high and weighs a ton. It is on the top of the temple. But the most exciting thing about this chakra is that you can see this chakra from any side of Puri city. The design secret behind the setting and positioning of the chakra is as yet a secret because no matter what your position, you can constantly feel that the chakra is pointing toward you.

The Prasadam

The priests preserve the traditional way of cooking Prasadam here. They use precisely seven pots mounted north for cooking using firewood. Though amazingly, the top pot cooks first, and all the rest follows!

Weird 45 Story Ritual!

Every day, a priest climbs the temple’s dome, which is pretty much as tall as a 45 story building and changes the flag. This ritual has been going on for 1800 years. The tradition says that if it doesn’t change on any day, the temple should be closed for 18 years.

Atal Rath

The Chariot doesn’t move even when pulled by many people, except if the King of Puri – The Gajapati, doesn’t come and perform a ritual known as ‘Chera Pahanara‘.

History and culture are the fuel for the Hindu spirit. This is what makes our culture so phenomenal. Apart from all these interesting facts, the idols of God are buried one on top every 14 to 18 years, with new idols taking their place. Interestingly, these deities have disintegrated on their own. These and many other unique facts revolve around the temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri.