Jagannath Temple Puri: History, Location, Darshan Timings, How to Reach:
Introduction: Dedicated to the Lord Jagannath- the lord of the universe, this marvellous temple is an architectural excellence. The King Indradyumna of Avanti built this temple during the 11th century AD. During the 16th century, Later kings further improved the temple structure. It also has many beautiful beaches and tourist spots for wanderlusts to enjoy. Rath yatra is an important festival of this temple.
Orissa is a place of religious importance and a superb spot for leisure and enjoyment. To fulfil the spiritual needs of the believers, the Jagannatha temple administration has constructed a new guest house called Nilachal Bhakta Nivas and Nilachal Yatri Nivas. Its proximity to the railway station, bus stop and beach facilitates the believers to come for darshan and enjoy the beach.
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Location of Jagannath Temple:
Puri Jagannath temple is 30 kilometres from Konark and 60 kilometres from Bhubaneswar. You can get to this temple within 30 minutes from Puri Railway station and 1.6 kilometres away from Golden Beach. It is one of the char dham and is believed to preserve Krishna's heart.
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Jaganath temple Puri timings:
Except during festival season, the temple is open for Darshan throughout the day. You can visit the temple from 5.30 in the morning till late night. The temple allows devotees to pray to the deity once the mangal arti is over, and the darshan is available till bhesha. Usually, bhesha happens from 7.30 to 8, and the temple remains closed for 1.5 hours.
History of Puri Jagannath temple:
The traditional Jagannath Puri story is fascinating. At the end of Kaliyuga, the original image of Lord Krishna appeared near one of the banyan trees in the form of a blue jewel. There was an ancient belief that the image gave instant moksha to those who saw it. Lord Yama hid it on earth to make it difficult for humans to attain moksha.
The king Indradyumna did intense penance to find the image to attain moksha. Lord Vishnu came in his dream and instructed him to find one log floating in the Puri seashore to make the image. The next day King Indradyumna saw the log floating on the sea and started doing yajna, in which Lord Narasimha appeared.
He then instructed the king to make the image of Lord Krishna in his four-folded expanded form- Paramatma (Lord Krishna), Vyuha(Sankarshana), Yogamaya(Subadra), and Vibhava(Sudarshana). The divine architect- Viswakarma appeared to create the images of Lord Jagannath, Subadra and Balaram.
Narada asked King Indradyumna to make deities out of the radiant log and to be consecrated in the womb chamber of the temple. Subsequently, the king requested Viswakarma to build a grand temple when Lord Vishnu descended to earth to construct it. He started making the idol under one condition no one should disturb him until he finishes it.
The queen heard no sound from the temple where construction was going on. She grew anxious and requested the king to open the door.
When the door was opened Lord Vishnu became furious and left the idol unfinished. But Indradyumna heard a divine voice instructing the king to install the deities even though they had no hands. People believe that Lord Jagannatha(lord of the whole world) can protect us even without any hand. This is the interesting Jagannath Puri story that fills the heart of the believer.
Interesting facts about Jagannath temple:
Interesting facts about this temple are equally fascinating like Jagannath Puri's story.
- Defying nature's code of conduct: Anything suspended in air flies in the direction of the wind. But the flag on the top of this temple flies in the opposite direction, which is a marvel to behold. Even scientists don't have a correct explanation for this strange happening.
- Changing outside flag: The priest changes the flag atop the temple every day, and it is believed that if he misses even one day, the temple will be closed down for one whole year. The temple dome is as tall as a 45 storied building.
- No shadow: When light falls on any object, it creates a shadow. But Puri Jagannath temple has no shadow at any part of the day. What should anyone infer from this? Should we acknowledge the architect, or show that God can do anything impossible?
- Marvellous Sudharshan chakra: If you gaze at the pinnacle of this temple, you will wonder how the heavy Sudharshan chakra a ton got to the top of the structure. What could be the possible thing the ancient architects could have used to transport it to the top? Strange! Isn't it?
- Nothing flies above the dome: Birds perching on the branches of the trees are a common sight everywhere. But we can't see any birds flying above this temple. The reason is beyond the understanding capacity of humans. Lord Puri Jagannath doesn't want to disturb the serenity of this holy place!
Where to stay near Puri Jagannath Temple?
There are so many hotels in trend where pilgrims can stay while visiting Puri Jagannath temple. There are excellent hotels near the temple with almost all the facilities.
- Hotel Srihari Grand: This hotel is just 1 kilometre from the temple and is affordable for pilgrims. It has many amenities like a restaurant, dry cleaning, backup power, and paid pick-up and drop-off. Safety is a guarantee from their side when you hire a room in this hotel.
- Lakshmi guest house: Located at .7km away from Puri Jagannath temple, it is the most affordable hotel in the vicinity. They charge only Rs. 800 per night and allow cancellation 24 hours before check-in.
- Puri trip home stay: Puri trip homestay charges Rs.700 per day and gives you a warm atmosphere at home. They will provide a caretaker, housekeeping, and a safe atmosphere.
- Bobby premium residency: This property is a homestay with a caretaker mending to every need. It is only 450 metres from the temple and near golden sea beach.
- Hotel Jagannath Darshan: It has 24-hour CCTV cameras all around the hotel and offers protection 24x7. You can play indoor games and room service throughout the day.
You can choose any of the above-mentioned places for stay before heading to the temple any time between the Puri Jagannath temple timings.
How to reach Puri Jagannath temple?
- By Air: Puri Jagannath temple is only 37 miles from the Biju Patnaik airport. From there, you can get into an auto and reach the temple in 1.5 to 2 hours.
- By train: Trains from the main cities go to Odisha, and you should remember to book well in advance. During peak pilgrim season, it is difficult to get a ticket, and if delayed may lead to rescheduling your visit.
- By road: You can drive your vehicle to reach this temple or book a ticket on a private bus that provides the utmost safety and comfort. You can also personalize your journey by booking a taxi from your place.
Best Time to travel:
October to February is the perfect to travel to Puri as the climate would be pleasant and offer a comfortable journey. You can plan your trip between December through February. Even though it might be cold, you can go to the beach to enjoy after darshan.
Conclusion:
Puri Jagannath temple is one of the 108 Vaisnava Divya Desams and one of the four Dhams considered sacred for Hindus. Many learned scholars, religious people, and kings have visited this temple over the Yugas. King Indradyumna of Satyayuga constructed this temple that stands even today. The initial temple was destroyed, and the temple we see today is the later additions of the subsequent kings. It is equally fascinating to know Puri Jagannath temple story as paying a visit to this holy Dham.
