MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE - LORD JAGANNATH

Located in the Eastern Coast of India by the shores of Bay of Bengal, the district of Puri, is famous as Jagannath Dham, one of the four Dhams of India. Lord Jagannath is worshiped in triad with his elder brother Sri Balabhadra and younger sister Devi Shubhadra, not only in India but in most parts of the World. Jagannath culture has many origins; for Hindus he is a form of Vishnu, for Buddhist he is a symbolic representation of Buddha and for Jains his name is derived from Jeenanath of Jainism. 

Jagannath Swami nayana patha gami Bhava tume

The temple (Shri Mandira) holds as many mystery as the origin of Lord Jagannath. It is believed in most parts of the state of Odisha, that before the temple was built Sri Jagannath was worshiped as Nila Madhav. It is also believed that, when Lord Krishna ended his Avatar, some pious people found the portion of his body which did not decay and preserved it. After that Lord Vishnu instructed, the king Indradyumna, by coming in his dreams, to build the Temple (Shri Mandira) and an idol, out of a log which floated to the shores of Puri (Banki muhana), of lord Jagannath, and store the preserved part of Lord Krishna, in the stomach of the idol, known as Bramha. It is believed that Lord Vishnu is alive inside the idol of Lord Jagannath and he leads a human like life having all the customs and rituals where he is treated like a human being. 

The temple was built by King as per the instructions and it is believed that Lord himself disguised in a form of a carpenter came to the king to build the idol of Lord Jagannath, out of the log which was found. He asked to lock him inside a room with the log(daaru) and not to be disturbed until he opens the door himself from inside. After a fortnight with growing anxiousness of everyone when the Queen suspected that, as there was no noise of carving from inside, the old carpenter might have been dead inside, the doors of the room were opened by the orders of the king. To everyone's surprise there was no sign of the carpenter and there stood three idols with half completed hands and legs which is justified that due to the curiosity the doors were opened early and the idol was only half completed by then and that the carpenter was the divine Lord himself. The king asked for forgiveness to Lord Vishnu who in the king's dream asked him to worship the idol as it is and thus since that day Lord Jagannath is worshiped with half hands and legs. And the wooden idol is replaced with new ones in every 10-12 years, which is known as Naba Kalebara, as instructed by God and the bramha or the remains of Lord Vishnu is transferred to the new idol. No one knows the mystery behind bramha. The specific person who transfers the bramha is restricted to reveal about it. Only the hereditary family of Daitas bramhin are allowed to serve the Lord. 

The word Jagannath is a combination of two words "Jagat" meaning "Universe" and "Nath" meaning "Master". He is considered to be the Master of the whole universe. Lord Jagannath in human like life, have many rituals and customs which symbolizes his human form. The well know Rath Yatra or the Chariot Festival is one of the the prominent example. In Snanapurnima the Lords is bathed with 108 pots of water after which they fall sick with high fever as any human would get sick after getting a bath after a long bath. Then he is given medicines with ancient Ayurvedic compositions, specially prepared for them by specific people appointed for it, post which they recover from their illness and the day of his recovery is known as Netra Utsav. After that he starts for a journey to his birth place ie Gundicha Temple which is situated at a distance of around 3 km from the main Temple. He starts the journey with his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Shubhadra in three grand Chariots which is pulled by his devotees. 

The Grand Road  as it is konown as Bada Danda, is filled by lakhs of devotees to worship the three Lord and be a part of his journey from Shri Mandir to Gundicha Mandir. In this festival the devotees of Lord Jagannath who are not allowed inside the temple (Shri Mandira), of all religions caste and creed have an opportunity to have a glimpse of the Lord. The Lords stay in the Gundicha Temple for 9 days. It is believed that like humans ,Goddess Lakshmi, considered to be the wife of Lord Jagannath feels lonely in the Temple, as her husband left the temple and went on a journey without her, with his siblings. Goddess Lakshmi visits the Gundicha Mandir ( this day is celebrated as Hera Panchami), but when she reaches, Lord would be having his food and the door would be half open. According to Hindu customs food is supposed to be had in privacy and silence. Lord Jagannath feels someone's presence outside the door, he doesn't spot Lakshmi but closes the door. Goddess feels very offended with this and leaves the Temple with anger and breaks a part of the Chariot of Lord Jagannath in her way back to take out her frustration. After that the Lords make their preparation to return back to Shri Mandir. 

When the triad return to the main Temple after 9 days stay at Gundicha Temple, they stay infront of the Temple in the Grand Road in their chariots for 3 days. In this 3 days more rituals like Sunabesa and Adharapana is performed. On the day when Lords enter the main Tample, Shri Mandir,  Goddess Lakshmi, allows Lord Balabhadra and Devi Shubhadra into the temple but locks the main door (Singha Dwara) from inside and does not let Lord Jagannath get inside the Temple.  After that Lord Jagannath offers Rasgulla to Goddess Lakshmi to calm her anger down and only after that the main door opens and the Lord enter the temple. This is known as Niladri Vijay. This story appears very cute and displays the very sweet bond of husband and wife which roles are played by the Lord in human like life.

There are so many more tales and mysteries about the Jagannath culture and Shri Mandir which can not be summed up in one write up. Every story has its own origin and believes.

Well this year due to COVID-19 the world famous Rath Yatra was about to be canceled as Social Distancing would have been violated in this festival. All the devotees were upset due to the Supreme Court's order of cancelling the festival even after the Rath (Chariots) were built. Even the workmen who put lot of their hard efforts to build the chariots were disheartened. But after a lot of discussions and appeals by the govt. and prayers, the Supreme Court allowed the festival with only 1500 priests who were tested for COVID-19 and they pulled the Rath. 

Its always believed whatever happens, happens by the will of the Almighty. Without his will not even a leaf can move. So it was the Almighty's will that this grand Chariot festival was possible even in this Pandemic, without any devotee in Grand Road and strict lock down rules. 

I strongly believe there are things in this world which is beyond human understanding. It may sound fancy and unrealistic to many, but there is a saying in India, "If you believe its GOD, If you don't then its just a stone.". Its all about belief. I believe God is everywhere in every living and non living being. He is in the air we breathe, the trees we see and even in the animals we watch. He is the creator, but we human have always been a cause of the destruction of the beauty he has created. Maybe that is what we are paying for now. But God is not harsh. He is compassionate and true form of unconditional Love. He is like our Parent who will punish their children for a mistake but will never have a grudge on them. When the human race understands the importance of God's creation and starts respecting it, that day things will change. May Lord be with all of us.

Jai Jagannath