describe the culture and rituals of Jagannath temple?
Answers
Explanation:
The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Sri Krishna in Puri in the state of Odisha on the eastern coast of India. The present temple was rebuilt from the 10th century onwards, on the site of an earlier temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.
Jagannath (Odia: ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, romanized: Jagannātha; lit. ''lord of the universe''; formerly English: Juggernaut) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra and sister, devi Subhadra. Jagannath within Odia Hinduism is the supreme god, Purushottama,[1][2][3] Para Brahman.[4][5] To most Vaishnava Hindus, particularly the Krishnaites, Jagannath is an abstract representation of Krishna, and Mahavishnu,[6][7] sometimes as the avatar of Krishna or Vishnu.[8][9] To some Shaiva and Shakta Hindus, he is a symmetry-filled tantric form of Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation.
The Jagannathism (a.k.a. Odia Vaishnavism)—the particular sector of Jagannath as a major deity—was emerged in the Early Middle Ages[12][13] and later became an independent state regional temple-centered tradition of Krishnaism/Vaishnavism.[14]
The icon of Jagannath is a carved and decorated wooden stump with large round eyes and a symmetric face, and the icon has a conspicuous absence of hands or legs. The worship procedures, sacraments and rituals associated with Jagannath are syncretic and include rites that are uncommon in Hinduism.[15][16] Unusually, the icon is made of wood and replaced with a new one at regular intervals.
The origin and evolution of Jagannath worship is unclear.[17] Some scholars interpret hymn 10.155.3 of the Rigveda as a possible origin, but others disagree and state that it is a syncretic/synthetic deity with tribal roots.[18][15][17] The English word juggernaut comes from the negative image of the deity presented by Christian missionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Jagannath is considered a non-sectarian deity.[19][20][21] He is significant regionally in the Indian states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, Manipur and Tripura.[22] He is also significant to the Hindus of Bangladesh. The Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha is particularly significant in Vaishnavism, and is regarded as one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites in India.[23] The Jagannath temple is massive, over 61 metres (200 ft) high in the Nagara Hindu temple style, and one of the best surviving specimens of Kalinga architecture, namely Odisha art and architecture.[24] It has been one of the major pilgrimage destinations for Hindus since about 800 CE.[24]
The annual festival called the Ratha yatra celebrated in June or July every year in eastern states of India is dedicated to Jagannath. His image, along with the other two associated deities, is ceremoniously brought out of the sacrosanctum (Garbhagriha) of his chief temple in Jagannath Puri (Odia: Bada Deula). They are placed in a chariot which is then pulled by numerous volunteers to the Gundicha Temple, (located at a distance of nearly 3 km or 1.9 mi). They stay there for a few days, after which they are returned to the main temple. Coinciding with the Ratha Yatra festival at Puri, similar processions are organized at Jagannath temples throughout the world. During the festive public procession of Jagannath in Puri lakhs of devotees visit Puri to see Lord Jagganath in chariot.[25]
Answer:
the culture and rituals of jaganath temple:
Lord Jagannath has always remained a mystery to mankind’s knowledge. The origins of the Jagannath cult are obscure. The veil of darkness that has engulfed this cult has remained in place until today. However, God Jagannath has been accepted as the Oriya people’s representative, an embodiment of love, the driving force behind this land’s cultural heritage, a synthesis of all Hinduism’s faiths, and finally, as the God of the universe
Jagannath’s cult embodies universal brotherhood by fusing Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and indigenous tribal religious practises. According to noted religious and social commentators, the temple’s presiding deities, Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and younger sister Subhadra, are depicted in black, white, and yellow. They represent the three major races of humanity. The Jagannath cult demonstrates a special concern and compassion for society’s poorest and most unfortunate members.
This spirit of universal love has attracted even Muslim devotees such as Salabega, whose songs in praise of Lord Jagannath are popular among all Oriyas and devotees worldwide who fervently celebrate Lord Jagannath’s Car Festival or Rath Yatra.
The Jagannath cult is a synthesis of numerous religious cults, including tribal religion, Brahmanical religion, Buddhism, Saivism, Shaktism, Tantrism, and Vaishnavism. In due course, the prevalent religious trends in Odisha were assimilated into the Cult of God Jagannath. With the passage of time, all religious sects became entwined in the cult of Jagannath. Each Hindu Pantheon recognised Him as its god or goddess. Even today, followers of various religious sects in India honour and worship Jagannath, the ‘Lord of the Universe.’