Jagannath Temple of Puri is one of the most sacred Hindu temples. It is located on the eastern coast of India. The temple is famous for its spiritual importance and for various mysterious facts. There are many festivals that take place at this temple.

Jagannath Temple of Puri is the oldest Hindu temple in the world. Located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, the temple was built in the 12th century. Anangabhima Deva finished the construction of the temple in 1190-1198.


Jagannath is a form of lord Vishnu. He is also worshipped along with his sister Subhadra. He is a Vaishnava deity. His main vehicle is the Garuda.

The temple is a beautiful example of Orissan style architecture. It is divided into four chambers. The main shrine is located in the middle of the temple. The complex covers 10.7 acres. Sacred trees are used to replace the wooden Jagannath image.

History of Jagannath Temple

The history of the Jagannath Temple Puri is an interesting one. It was built in the 12th century, and is a renowned temple in the state of Odisha. Lord Jagannath is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is considered to be eternal. There are several myths about the origin of the Jagannath temple. This temple is especially sacred to Vaishnava traditions, but is visited by all Hindus.

According to some traditions, the temple was dated back to the time of Lord Krishna in the Dwapara Yuga. However, there are several accounts that contradict this belief. One is that the temple was built by King Anantavarman in the tenth century. Another is that it was built by Jajati Kesari in 949-959 AD.

The history of the temple is a very important part of the Hindu culture. It has been patronized by many dynasties in Orissa. Especially the Ganga Dynasty, which believed that the Lord Jagannath was the true ruler of the country. Many kings of the dynasty donated to the temple.

In fact, the temple was founded by a Shaivite king, who was a part of the Ganga dynasty. Later on, he became a Vaishnava. During his rule, he constructed the present-day temple complex. A shikara, which is the main temple building, was also constructed. Some chronicles suggest that construction of the temple began after 1112 CE. Other stories attribute the origin of the temple to a folk tale.

Story of Jagannath Temple Puri

The earliest reference to the Jagannath temple Puri comes from the Puranas. These texts are very ancient Sanskrit texts. They mention that the king of Malawa got an image of Lord Jagannath. After the king saw the image in his dream, he prayed to him to make him the last king of the kingdom. Brahma replied that he should be childless and become the last member of his family. So, the king got the images of Subhadra and Balabhadra from wood.

A Brahmin priest named Vidyapati was sent by the king to find the Lord Jagannath. In the course of his search, he came across a tree that was full of fragrance. But the Brahmin could not identify the deity. His astral voice directed him to the tree.

When the king reached the tree, he found the images of the three deities. The king wanted to make them out of the divine wood. At that moment, he heard a voice saying that he should bring the tree to the seashore.

 Once he had the tree at the seaside, he brought it to the temple. There, the king received images of Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Jagannath. He was also told to make idols of Jannath and Sudarshan.

The temple was ruled by many rulers, and the temple has been invaded by several forces. Kalyan Malla tried to destroy the temple in 1612, while Mukarram Khan invaded in 1617. Finally, the temple was closed until the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. On his death, the temple was opened again and is still being worshipped by the Hindus.

Jagannath Temple Festival

One of the most important festivals of Jagannath Temple Puri is the Rath Yatra festival, which begins with pulling massive chariots carrying the deities through Puri. This ritual has been performed since 1800 years. Non-Hindus are not permitted inside the temple. In this festival, the main deities of Srimandir are taken to the Gundicha temple in bejeweled chariots.

Another major festival is the annual visit of Lord Jagannath to Gundicha Mata temple. After this, the deities are returned to the mandir in bejeweled chariots. A large number of musical instruments are also found in the temple.

How to reach Jagannath Temple of Puri

By Air

 If you are traveling by air, you have to fly to Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar. From there the temple is 60 km away. Away. You can choose the bus from there to travel the remaining distance.

By Train

If you are going to travel by train, you should go to Puri railway station. From there the temple is 3 km away. Away. You can easily reach the temple.

By Road

If you go by road, you have to go to Puri and then you can reach the temple easily.