Toshali Sands

Indradyumna, a King of Solar Dynasty, reigned in the Kingdom of Avanti in the Satya-Yuga. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. One day a Sanyasin informed the King that Lord Vishnu himself was visible in perfect form as Purusottama at the Blue Mountain in the country of Odra on the shore of South Sea, on hearing this, Indradyumna sent Vidyapati, the brother of his family priest, as a messenger to the Odra country (Orissa). Vidyapati after reaching the Odra country, came to know that Lord Vishnu in the form of Nilamadhava was being worshipped by a Sabara. Vidyapati took refuge in a Sabara village lying to the west of the Blue Mountain, He somehow won the friendship of the Sabara chief Viswavasu. Vidyapati requested him to be king enough to make arrangements for him to have a sight of the Lord Nilamadhava. He also informed the Sabara chief that Indradyumna, his sovereign Lord, would be fasting until his return. The Sabara chief, then took Vidyapati through a narrow track and showed him the shrine of Nilamadhava. After having darshan, Vidyapati went back to the country of Avanti and informed the King about Nilamadhava. The King set out for Odra country to find the Temple of Lord Nilamadhava. But, when he reached the boundary of the country, he was informed that the Temple was not visible. The King was deeply grieved. Narada, however, assured him that Lord would appear in the form of Daru (Wood). The King thus, got some relief and went to Nilagiri for the perfomance of horse sacrifice. On the closing day of horse scrifice (Asvamedha-Yagne), the Lord Nilamadhava made Himself visible to the king in the dream and at the same time, the message reached that the Daru was floating on the sea. Then, the king brought the Daru and placed it on the Mahavedi with all sanctity.

Now, the King searched the means to construct the image. He was again directed by an unseen voice that, a particular carpenter would make the image. Thereafte the deities will appear on the Mahavedi, which would be secretly covered for fifteen days. Nobody was allowed inside, or the doors would be opened for fifteen days as instructed. Even the sound produced by it was forbidden to be heard. At the end of 15 days, the images of four deities, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Jagannath and Sudarsan, became manifest on the mahavedi. Again, the heavenly voice advised, ‘O’ King, dress these four deities with silken garments and adorn them with their own colours. Then construct a Temple of one thousand cubits high on the ‘Blue Mountain’ and install the images there with due propriety, Accordingly, the King worshipped Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and the Goddess Subhadra after uttering, astaksara (Mantra), purusasukta and devisukta respectively.

Indradyumna, then made up his mind and the construction of the Temple was started. Before the temple was completed, the King went to Brahmaloka to invite Brahma for the consecration of the shrine as per the ceremonial rites. There was some delay in Brahma’s coming to consecrate the shrine. In the mean time, several years passes and another King of Utkal, Galamadhava by name, claimed the shrine as his own. Then Brahma intervened and restored to its original builder - Indradyumna.

Now the other Sanskrit texts also have descriptions about the Purusottama Dhaam and the deities of Purusottama, and Sughadra and Balabhadra in Barahaspatya-sutram, Kapilsasmihita, Tirthachinamani, Kshetra Mahatmya, Purusottama Chandrika, Saubhogyamanjusa etc. More or less in the same manner as does the author of Skanda Purana.

The Architectural marvel of Sri Jagannath Temple is the climax of Orissan art and sculpture. Orissa has its own (Kalinga) school of Temple arctitecture. The style of course, follows the Nagar School of North. The sanctum or the garbha griha, with tower called deul or rekha deul. The tower - the Sikhara, also has a distinctive shape, rising as a straight lines from the square sanctum and that curving gently inwant to the apex. The wide flutes disk of the amalaka tops the summit and then the pot shaped Kalasa is placed on it. The exterior of the temple is decorated with carvings of cult images and sculptural depictions.

The layout of the Jagannath Temple follows that of the Lingaraj at Bhubaneswar with a Deul, Jagamohan, Nata Mandapa and Bhogamandap placed within two walled wourtyards. The tiered spire of the Temple, the sikhara is topped by a gaint wheel of Vishnu called Nilachakra. It is made of an alloy of eight metals called “Astadhatu” and the flag flying over the wheel is called “Bana”. It is auspicious to have the darshan of the Wheel and Flag from a long distance.

Generally, one enters the Temnple through the lion’s gate crossing 22 steps of Baisi Pahacha, to reach the Natamandira for darshan near “Garuda Stambha”. Then the visitor depending on the time may enter into Jagamohan for Darshan of the Lord. In the early morning during Manngala Arti and during Sahana Mella (A time about 9.00 to 10.00 A.M.) visitors are allowed to enter Garva Griha to have the darshan of the Lord from close quarters.