पुरी के जगन्नाथ मंदिर पर हर शाम एक पुजारी बिना सुरक्षा के शिखर पर चढ़कर ध्वज बदलता है। यहाँ की रसोई में रोज़ लाखों भक्तों के लिए महाप्रसाद बनता है। हर 12–19 साल में भगवान की लकड़ी की मूर्तियाँ बदली जाती हैं — इसे नवकलेवर कहते हैं।
On the shore of the Bay of Bengal in Odisha stands the temple of Bhagwan Jagannath — Lord of the Universe — with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. Puri is one of the four sacred Char Dham of India, and it is full of traditions that leave visitors amazed.
The flag changed every day
Every evening, a priest from a hereditary family climbs the outside of the temple's 65-metre-high shikhara, without ropes or harness, to change the flag (patitapaban bana). This has been done every single day for centuries; devotees believe that if it is ever missed, the temple would have to close for many years.
The temple flag always flies against the direction of the wind, and the main dome casts no shadow at noon.
These are popular beliefs passed around widely; they have not been shown by any scientific measurement. What is verified is the daily flag-changing climb — a remarkable living tradition.
The world's largest temple kitchen
The Jagannath temple kitchen is often called the largest in the world. Hundreds of cooks prepare Mahaprasad every day in earthen pots over wood fires. Pots are stacked one on top of another — and cooks say the top pot cooks first. Devotees say the Mahaprasad never runs short and is never wasted, whether a few thousand or many lakh people come.
Nabakalebara: the idols are reborn
Unlike stone murtis in most temples, Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are carved from neem wood. In certain years with an extra lunar month (roughly every 12 to 19 years), new idols are carved from specially chosen daru trees, and the mysterious Brahma padartha is transferred from the old idols to the new in complete darkness, by priests whose eyes are covered. The last Nabakalebara was in 2015.
The Rath Yatra
Once a year, in the month of Ashadha, the three deities come out of the temple on three giant chariots — Nandighosa (Jagannath), Taladhwaja (Balabhadra) and Darpadalana (Subhadra) — pulled by lakhs of devotees to the Gundicha temple. It is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
- Location
- Puri, Odisha (about 60 km from Bhubaneswar)
- Rath Yatra
- Ashadha month (June–July)
- Note
- Entry to the inner temple is restricted to Hindus
- Plan it
- Ask us to add Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar to your yatra
Questions
How often is the Jagannath temple flag changed?
Every day, by a priest who climbs the shikhara.
What is Nabakalebara?
The ritual of replacing the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, held in certain years; the last was in 2015.
Why are the Jagannath idols made of wood?
By tradition the deities are carved from sacred neem wood (daru) and periodically renewed in the Nabakalebara ritual.
