JAGANNATH TEMPLE
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Context
- Many injured during Rath Yatra in Puri due to overcrowding.
About Jagannath Temple:
Location:
- The Shree Jagannath Temple is a prominent Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu, located in Puri, Odisha.
- Puri is revered as one of the four Dhams or most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus in India.
Founder:
- Built in the 12th century CE by the Ganga dynasty king Anantavarman Chodaganga, as evidenced by the Kendupatna copper-plate inscription of his descendant Narasimhadeva II.
Festival:
- The temple is renowned for its annual Ratha Yatra, or chariot festival, during which the three principal deities are paraded on huge, elaborately decorated temple cars.
Saints Associated:
- Sacred to Hindus, particularly those of the Vaishnava tradition.
- Saints like Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya, and Ramananda have deep associations with the temple.
- Ramanuja established the Emar Mutt nearby.
- Adi Shankaracharya founded the Govardhana Mutt, one of the four seats of Shankaracharyas.
- It holds special significance for followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, influenced by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who resided in Puri for an extended period.
Temple Architecture:
- The temple exemplifies the Odisha or Kalinga Nagara style of architecture, also known as White Pagoda.
- The Kalinga Nagara style includes three architectural forms: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula, and Khakhra Deula.
- Notable examples include the Jagannath Temple in Puri and the Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneshwar, both grand instances of Rekha Deula architecture.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. What historical evidence suggests the founder of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri?
Answer: 2. The Kendupatna copper-plate inscription of Narasimhadeva II. |
SOURCE: THE HINDU
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