Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025: What is the history of Jagannath Temple, how ancient is this temple?

Jagannath Rath Yatra 2024: The world famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath will begin in Puri, Orissa from 27 June 2025. Jagannath Temple Dham is considered one of the four dhams of Hindus. It has been called Vaikuntha Lok. Puri Nagar of Orissa, one of the four dhams of Hinduism, is also counted among the Saptapuris. It is also called Srikshetra, Sri Purushottam Kshetra, Shak Kshetra, Nilanchal, Nilgiri and Shri Jagannath Puri. According to the Purana, Purushottam Hari is worshiped in Nilgiri. According to the belief of the residents of Odisha, this place has been the place of Lord Vishnu’s Leela as Neelamadhav. Later it has become the main place of Shri Krishna, Balabhadra and Subhadra. Puri has been called a place of salvation.Also Read: Is the future Malika’s prediction connected with 10 signs of Jagannath Temple?

1. According to the priests of Puri, in ancient times, Odisha was called Udisha country and Puri was called conch region. This place is the ancient place of Lord Vishnu which is also called Baikuntha.

2. According to Brahma and Skanda Purana, Lord Vishnu descended as ‘Purushottam Neelamadhav’ and became the supreme revered deity of the Sabar tribe. The oldest Matsya Purana states that the goddess of Purushottam region is Vimala and she is worshiped here. When Bali took Ravana hostage, Ravana performed the practice of mother Vimala in this Purushottam region. Mother Vimala kept Lanka safe by living as Lankeshwari in Lanka.

3. It is said that this place is found in Valmiki Ramayana. According to the Uttarakhand of the Ramayana, Lord Rama had asked Ravana’s brother Vibhishan to worship Lord Neelmadhav, the king of his Ikshvaku dynasty. Even today, the tradition of Vibhishan Vandapana is maintained in the Shri temple of Puri.

4. After the place, the first proof of the temple being here is found in the forest of Mahabharata. It is said that first of all, Sabar Adivasi Vishwasu worshiped him as Neelamadhav. Even today, there are many servants in the temples of Puri, known as Daityapati.

5. This temple was first built by Indradyumna, Emperor of Satyuga. Emperor Indradyumna Chakravarti was the emperor whose capital was in Ujjain. It is said that the temple built by Emperor Indradyumna was buried in the sand, which was taken out at the end of the gate and then the life of the idol was represented and he came to be called Nath Jagannath of Jagnath.

6. The temple currently built in the 7th century. However, this temple was also built in 2 BC.

7. According to the copper letters found in the Ganga dynasty, the construction work of the present temple was started by Kalinga King Anantavarman Chodungg Dev. Jagmohan and aircraft parts of the temple were formed during their reign 1078–1148. Its mention is described in the inscription of his descendant Narsinghdev II and Rajendra Chola of Matriya.

8. Anantavarman was originally Shaiva, and in 1112 AD, he became Vaishnava shortly after conquering the Utkal region. An inscription of 1134-1135 AD mentions his donation to the temple.

9. The temple located here is broken 3 times. After this, Anang Bhima, the ruler of Odisha state, gave this temple a present form in 1197. About 30 small and big temples are established around the main temple.

10. 1558 Pooja was held here, but suddenly this year Afghan General Kala Pahar attacked Odisha and the idols and the worship over the temple were stopped.

11. Vigrahas were secretly reserved in an island located in Chilka Lake. After this, the temple and its idols were re -established when the independent kingdom was established in Khurda of Ramchandra Deb.

12. Many people claim to be a Buddhist temple in the east but no evidence of this is found. The Buddhist temples were built like a stupa while the Jagannath temple is built in the Kalinga style. Looking at the painted pictures and idols on this, it can also be said that it has been a Hindu temple since ancient times.