Jagannath Puri Pilgrimage Tour to Orissa

The abode of Lord Jagannath is the Jagannath Puri and it is also called Jagannath Dham. It is one of the four major dhams of India besides Dwarka, Rameshwaram and Badrinath. It serves as one of the most divine places for all the Hindus around the world. Located in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Jagannath Puri is popular for the beautiful Jagannath Temple, the marvelous Rath Yatra, immensely famous Puri Beach Festival and the holy festival of Nava Kalebara.

The immense temple complex is outspread over an area of 400,000 square feet and is encompassed within walls. With 120 shrines and temples, the temple complex is one of the wonders of the world though it is not included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. The temple complex is on the Nilgiri Hills and on an raised platform. Shrines, Structures, Hall of Offerings, and Pillared Hall of Dance comprise the straggling Jagannath Temple Complex. The temple complex has four main gates that is southern, northern, eastern and western gates named as the Lion, the Tiger, the Horse and the Elephant Gate predominately.

The precisest example of the Orissan style of architecture is the Jagannnath Temple that has the wooden sculptures of its leading god Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna) along with the sculptures of the lord's Balabhadra (brother) and spouse Subhadra in its inner sanctum. The Lord Jagganth is offered with 56 varieties of food offerings. The offerings are made without using chilies, onions and garlic and certain vegetables are made in the largest kitchen of the world which is right there in the Jagannath Temple Complex. The offerings are then devoted to the Goddess Bimala Devi after which they become Mahaprasada and become available for the general public and the devotees. Every year, in the month of June, the most popular Chariot Festival is held at Puri that brings the visitors and pilgrims from far places. The fascinating Rath Yatra covers a distance of 2 km from the main temple to Gundicha Ghar which is considered as the home of the Lord's aunt.

The statues of the Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are moved in good decorated and colorful palanquins in an open procession at the time of Chariot Festival. It is believed that one who witnesses the Lord's statue during the Rath Yatra is freed from the eternal cycles of birth and death and gets salvation.

The Puri Beach Festival is held in the November month every year at Jagannath Puri and is another attraction of Puri. The cuisines, crafts and culture of the state are the attractions of the festival which pulls large number of visitors from all over India and overseas. The interesting religious festival of Nava Kalebara is held every 12 to 19 years at Jagannath Puri in which the statues of the leading gods of the Jagannath Temple get new physical forms carved out of the Chandan and Neem wood by master craftsmen, in contend silence and in blessed surroundings.