Context: Chief Minister of Odisha has launched the Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalpa, which is a massive peripheral development project around Puri’s 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple.
More about the news:
- Heritage Corridor: 75-metre-wide space encircling the temple, known as the heritage corridor is divided into nine different zones.
- It has a 7-metre green buffer zone, adjacent to the Meghanada Pacheri, or the boundary of the temple.
- A 10-metre Antar Pradakshina will allow space for ceremonial processions of the deities throughout the year.
- There is also a public convenience zone having restrooms, drinking water facilities, information-cum-donation kiosks, mini cloakrooms, and a dedicated emergency lane.
- The State government organised a massive outreach programme, with Arpan Raths taken out in every village to promote, preserve and protect Jagannath culture through people’s participation.
About Jagannath temple:
- An important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu.
- Location: Puri, Odisha (eastern coast of India).
- Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra are deities worshipped at the temple.
- The temple is sacred to all Hindus, and especially in those of the Vaishnava traditions and is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of the Vaishnavite tradition.
- Many great Vaishnava saints, such as Ramanujacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya and Ramananda were closely associated with the temple.
- Ramanuja established the Emar Matha in the south-eastern corner of the temple.
- Adi Shankaracharya established the Govardhan Math, which is the seat of one of the four Shankaracharyas.
- It is also of particular significance to the followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath.
- The worship is performed by the Bhil Sabar tribal priests, as well as priests of other communities in the temple.
- Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath is made of wood (neem wood, known as Daru) and is ceremoniously replaced every 12 or 19 years by an exact replica.
- The temple is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, the other being Rameshwaram, Badrinath and Dwarka.
Construction:
- The present temple was rebuilt by the King of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, Anantavarman Chodaganga, in the 10th century CE, as described by the Kendupatna copper-plate inscription of his descendant, Narasimhadeva II.
- Anantavarman was originally a Shaivite, and became a Vaishnavite sometime after he conquered the Utkala region, in which the temple is located, in 1112 CE.
- A 1134–1135 CE inscription records his donation to the temple.
- The temple complex was further developed during the reigns of the subsequent kings, including those of the Ganga dynasty and the Gajapati dynasty (1434-1541).
- The temple is built in the Kalinga Architecture. The temple has distinct sectional structures: Deula, Vimana or Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum).
Rath Yatra:
- The Ratha Yatra, also known as the Ratha Jatra or chariot festival, is a magnificent Hindu celebration held annually in the city of Puri, Odisha, India.
- It is considered the oldest and largest chariot festival in the Hindu tradition, taking place during the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh (June or July).
- The festival revolves around the worship of Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu or Krishna, and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra.
- During the Ratha Yatra, the three deities are ceremoniously pulled in massive wooden chariots from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.
- The deities reside in the Gundicha Temple for a week and then return to their abode in the Jagannath temple (Bahuda Yatra)