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| 1892 View from the east towards the Jagannatha Temple, Puri, with the bazaar in the foreground |
Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa, India, temple is built on a gigantic
raised platform in the heart of the city, The temple complex is enclosed by a
wall about seven meters high -including the height of the platform. The area of
this platform is more than 4,20,000 sq.ft. The wall is pierced by four gates
,facing the four directions. On the east-facing gate, there are stone images of
two lions and it is called the Lions Gate. The north, south and west facing gates are similarly known as the
Elephant Gate, the Horse Gate and the Tiger Gate (also called the Khanja Gate)
respectively. The north gate is mainly meant for the God himself in as much as,
the logs of wood out of which, the images are fabricated, make their entry into
the temple premises through this gate, when the Navakelevara ceremony takes
place. The east-facing Lions Gate is the main gate. There are pyramidal structures
over the four gates, which are not very old.
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| Close view of sculpture panels and mouldings in right half of east façade of the refectory of the Jagannatha Temple, Puri |
As we arrive at the vast open area in front of the Lions Gate (eastern
gate), we see a monolithic pillar about 10 meters high. This pillar is known
locally as the Aruna Stambha. In Hindu mythology Aruna is the the charioteer of
the Sun-god, The world famous Konarka temple was designed in the form of a stupendous
chariot and this monolithic pillar with the beautifully carved Aruna seated on
its top was installed right in front of the porch of that temple. When the
temple was abandoned and there was no presiding deity in it, this pillar was
removed from Konarka to Puri and was fixed in front of Jagannatha temple where
we see it now.
Immediately after we get into the
main gate and proceed forward, we find ourselves on a flight of steps. Locally,
they are called Baisi Pahaca, which literally means, twenty-two steps. The history
or rather the mystery of this flight of steps has not been unveiled. It is
interesting to note that great reverence is shown to this flight of twenty-two
steps. The parents bring their children & make them slowly roll over the steps
from the top to the bottom ones in expectation of spiritual bliss in as much as
countless devotees have walked on the steps which are believed to be throbbing
with spiritual animation.
