JAGANNATH
TEMPLE - ART & CULTURE
News:
ASI
seeks inspection of inner chamber of Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar
What's
in the news?
● The
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought permission to inspect the inner
chamber of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri
by a technical expert committee for the safety and upkeep of the ancient
monument.
Jagannath
Temple:
● The
Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Vishnu, in Puri
in the state of Odisha on the eastern coast of India.
● Built
by - Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, first
of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.
Architecture
of Puri Temple:
● The
Temple of Jagannath at Puri is one of the major Hindu temples in India.
● The
temple is built in the Kalinga style of
architecture, with the Pancharatha (Five chariots) type consisting of two
anurathas, two konakas and one ratha.
● Jagannath
temple is a pancharatha with well-developed
pagas.
● ‘Gajasimhas’ (elephant lions)
carved in recesses of the pagas, the ‘Jhampasimhas’
(Jumping lions) are also placed properly.
● The
perfect pancharatha temple developed into a Nagara-rekha temple.
● The
temple is built on an elevated platform,
as compared to Lingaraja temple and other temples belonging to this type.
● This
is the first temple in the history of Kalinga temple architecture where all the
chambers like Jagamohana, Bhogamandapa
and Natyamandapa were built along with the main temple.
● There
are miniature shrines on the three
outer sides of the main temple.
Rath
Yatra:
● Popularly
known as the ‘Festival of Chariots’,
Rath Yatra festival in honour of Puri’s Lord Jagannath is a grand celebration.
● The
festival is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, his sister Goddess Subhadra and
elder brother Balabhadra.
● All the three deities of the temple -
Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra – travel in three different chariots
during this festival.
● The chariots are
called Nandighosha, Taladhwaja, and Devadalana respectively.
● New
chariots for all the three deities are constructed every year using wood
even if the architect of the chariots remain similar.
● Four wooden horses are attached to
each chariot.