Jagannath Temple - Main Complex

The temple of Lord Shree Jagannath in Puri is one of the oldest Hindu temples and is renowned worldwide. It is located on the sacred Bay of Bengal, known locally as Maodadhi, at latitude 19°19'N and longitude 85°52'39"E.

This temple is the most sacred shrine in India. It holds a significant place in the religious and cultural history of Odisha, being a vibrant and living temple that has drawn many kings, conquerors, religious teachers, devotees, and pilgrims over the centuries.

According to the "Skanda Purana," the sacred "Shree Purushottama Kshetra" is recognized as the abode of Lord Vishnu, with the sacred Vigrahas installed by Swayambhu Brahma.

As per Puranic scriptures, King Indradyumna of Malwa, a devoted Vaishnavite, constructed a grand temple and installed four deities with the assistance of Brahma and other renowned saints. This temple, originally 1000 cubits high, eventually collapsed over time. Despite this, it remained the foremost temple of Lord Shree Jagannath. Historical records are sparse regarding the subsequent reforms by the kings after King Indradyumna's era in Satya Yuga. However, the Patala Khanda of Padma Purana and Vishnu Purana reference the existence of the temple of Bhagwan Purushottama in this ancient sacred site.

According to "Madala Panji," Yajati Keshari, the founder of the Soma Dynasty in Odisha, built the temple of Purushottama Jagannath at the current site, originally 38 cubits high.

Another tradition credits the construction of the temple to Anangabhima Deva, the great-grandson of Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva. However, epigraphical records confirm that Chodaganga Deva (1112-1148 A.D.) built the present temple.

The current main temple comprises four sections: Vimana (Sanctum), where the principal deities sit on a stone pedestal called Ratna Singhashan, Jagamohana (Porch), Natamandapa, and Bhogamandapa. Initially, the temple consisted of Vimana and Jagamohana, built in the 12th century in the rekha and pidha styles, respectively. The other two sections were added during the reign of King Purushottama Deva (1461-1495 AD) and King Prataprudra Deva (1495-1532 AD). Today, the temple complex includes four structures in one axial alignment facing east.

The settlement records provide detailed land records of Shreemandira:

Mouza: Puri Sadar, Unit-9, Bada Deula Sahi, Thana: Puri Sadar-9, Tahasil: Puri Sadar no-649, District: Puri. Bada Deula Sahi, Khata No 26, Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bije Shreekshetra is recorded in the name of the Managing Committee of Shree Jagannath Temple. This Khata includes 179 plots, covering an area of 10.734 acres.

The temple of Lord Shree Jagannath stands approximately 214 feet and 8 inches high from the road level. The temple premises are enclosed by two large concentric walls. The outer wall, called Meghanada Prachira, measures 665ft x 640ft, while the inner wall, Kurma Prachira, measures 420ft x 315ft. The height of the outer walls ranges from 20ft to 24ft, with four gates in the outer enclosure. The eastern entrance is known as 'Singha Dwara' or the Lion Gate. The southern, western, and northern entrances are called 'Ashwa Dwara' (South Gate), 'Vyagra Dwara' (West Gate), and 'Hasti Dwara' (North Gate), respectively. Inside the temple premises, there are numerous subsidiary shrines and mandapas, two gardens named "Koili Baikuntha" and "Nilachala Upabana," seven wells, Ananda Bazar, the kitchen, and the holy banyan tree called 'Kalpabata.'

Inner Compound

Besides the main temple, there are other temples within the inner compound. According to the temple map in the Record of Rights, the temples, bije sthalis, and their deities are listed below:

Temples and Their Gods/Goddesses

• Garbhagruah: Shree Balabhadra, Shree Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, Shree Sudarshana, Bhudevi, Shreedevi, and Madhava.
• Bhandara Ghara: Lokanath, Pahuda Sayana Thakura, and Durga.
• Thakura Sayana Ghara: Sayana Thakura, Thakurani.
• Jagamohana: Garuda Stambha, Charcha Ganesha, Khamba Gayatri, Khamba Nrushimha, Khamba Dakhsina Kali, Khamba Sheetala, Chakra Narayana, Khamba Vimala, Sugreba, Bibhisana, Mangala, Chaitanya, Shree Krushna, Mahaveera, Panchamukhi Mahaveera.
• Bhogamandapa: Ganesha, Brahma, Mahadeva, Kalika, Nrushimha.
• Bata Balabhadra: Balabhadra or Balarama.
• Indrani Deula: Indrani Thakurani.
• Patitapabana: Patitapabana Jagannatha.
• Majana Mandapa: Marriage platform.
• Dakshina Ghara: The moving images of Rama, Lakshmana, Seeta Devi, and Hanuman, fixed images of Rama, Krushna, Narayana, the moving images of Narayana, Ram, Krushna, Madanamohana, Dolagovinda, the fixed images of Badrinaryana, Ladugopala, Bamana, Lakshminarayana, and Sheshadeva, Pancha Pandava, Shalagrama. The images of Mahalakshmi and Veerabhadra on the wall. The pictures of Dasabhuja Durga, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Hanumana, Iswara-Parbati, Bheemeswari, Harachandi, Bedha Durga, Danteswari, and Hanumana on the outside.
• Varaha Temple: Varaha Deva.
• Ekadashi Temple: Devi Ekadashi.
• Nisha Nrushimha Temple: Nrushimha.

• Bali Bamana Temple: Bamana, Ganesha.
• Navi Kata Mandapa: Hanumana.
• Garada Ghara: Narayana and Hanuman.
• Radha Krushna Temple: Radha Krushna.
• Pataleswara Temple: Shiva Linga.
• Hayagreeba: God Hayagreeba.
• Sara Ghara: Tadaba Iswara, Ganesha, Kalindiswara.
• Dadhi Bamana: Dadhi Bamana-Jagannath.
• Shree Ram Chandra Temple: Rama Chandra.
• Suryanarayana Temple: Sun temple.
• Barddhamana Temple: Radhaballava and Lakshminarayana.
• Nabagraha Temple: Nabagraha, Samaleswari, Rama, Seeta, Lakhmana, and Hanuman.
• Lakshmi Temple: Roshaghara.
• Lakshmi Narayan Temple: Lakshmi and Narayana.
• Shree Lakshmi Temple: On the throne is seated Lakshmi, on the walls of its Jagamohana, there are pictures of Ganesha, Hanumana, Nrushimha, Varaha, and Lakshmi Nursimha.
• Bedha Kali Temple: Kali Goddess.
• Neelamadhava: God Neela Madhava.
• Bhubaneswari Temple: Goddess Bhubaneswari inside the room. Outside the room are Goddesses Saraswati, Sathi, Savitri, and Gayatri.
• Khirachora Gopinatha Temple: Radha and Krishna.
• Kanchi Ganesha: Tantrik Ganesha.
• Sakshi Gopala Temple: Radha Krishna.
• Mandani Ghara: Gopeswara Mahadeva, Nanda, Yashoda, Vasudeva, Devaki, Dama, Sudama, Balarama, Gopala, Nrushimha, Ramchandra, Hanumana, and Anasara Tati deities.
• Bnumadhava Temple: Krishna.
• Vimala Temple: Goddess Vimala.
• Badri Narayana: Narayan.
• Gokala Bihari: Krishna.
• Rohini Kunda: Chaturbhuja Kala and Vishnu Padapadma.
• Natua Ganesh: A south-facing temple in front of Vimala temple. A beautiful image of eight-armed Ganesha
• Natua Ganesh: A south-facing temple in front of Vimala Temple, featuring a beautiful image of the eight-armed Ganesha made of granite, dancing on his vahana, the mouse.
• Shree Nrushimha Temple: Nrushimha.
• Mukti Mandapa: Ganesha and Kali.
• Mukteswara: Krishna.
• Ananta Vasudeva Temple: Krishna.
• Kshetrapala: Mahadeva.
• Kuttama Chandi: Chandi.
• Surya Yantra Temple: The yantra of Surya.

• Pancha Pandava Temple: Pancha Shiva Linga at both places.
• Varaha Narayan: Varaha Avatar.
• Radha Krishna: Radha and Krishna.
• Bata Patitapabana: Lord Jagannath.
• Bala Mukunda: Bala Krishna.
• Bata Krishna: Krishna.
• Bata Mangala Temple: Goddess Mangala.
• Pada Padma: Lotus feet of Lord Krishna.
• Hari Sahadeva Temple: Shiva Linga.
• Merda Rosha Ghara: Old Kitchen.
• Bata Krushna Temple: Krishna.
• Rakha Krishna: Radha and Krishna.
• Satyanaryan Temple: Narayana.
• Agneeswara Temple: Shiva Linga.
• Brundabanacandra Temple: Krishna.
• Bata Ganesh Temple: Ganesh.
• Seeta Raghunatha: Seeta and Raghunatha.
• Tretayadeva Temple: Shree Jagannath, Shree Balabhadra, and Subhadra Devi.
• Chakgopala Thakura: Krishna.
• Shree Chaitanya Temple: Shree Chaitanya.
• Sua-Sari Deula: Ramachandra.
• Shayama Rai: Shyama Rai and Ananta Vasudeva.
• Bimana Sara Ghara: Mahaveera.
• Satya Narayana: Satya Narayan.
• Pada Padma and Chautara: Chaitanya's lotus feet.
• Garbaganjana Mahaveera: Mahaveera.

Some Important Temples in the Inner Compound:

  • Vimala Temple:
    This is the oldest temple within the inner compound of the main temple, facing east. Mentioned in sacred texts like Matsya Purana, Kapila Samhita, Skanda Purana, Tantra Chudamani, and Devi Bhagavata, Maa Vimala and Shree Jagannath are considered Bhairavi and Bhairava in Tantra Sastre. The goddess's image, crafted from wax, is four-armed, holding a rosary, a human figure, a kalasa, and displaying a Varada pose. Renowned as a Shakti Pitha of India, the prasada of Shree Jagannath is offered to Vimala. The Saradiya Shola Puja and special rites are observed annually during the month of Aswaina.
  • Satya Narayana Temple:
    This temple enshrines the four-armed image of Shree Narayan. The image, made of granite and standing 5 feet high, holds a disc, a conch, a mace, and presents the Abhaya Mudra. Jaya and Vijaya stand on both sides, with Garuda kneeling at the feet of Satya Narayan. The temple faces north.
  • Agneeswara Temple:
    Located in the northeast corner of the passage from the Bhoga Mandapa to the kitchen, Agneeswara is regarded as the guardian of the kitchen fire.
  • Shree Nrusimha Temple:
    This temple is situated towards the southern side of the inner enclosure, facing east. The Panchratha Rekha Deual temple, built before the current Shree Mandira, houses the deity Nrusimha on a high seat. Ancient stone inscriptions adorn the outer wall.
  • Lakshmi Temple:
    Located in the northwestern corner of the inner enclosure, this temple was likely constructed by a ruler of the Ganga dynasty in the 12th-13th century AD. Almost contemporary in architecture to the Jagannath temple, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped here in the form of Gajalakshmi, holding two elephants and displaying the Abhaya and Varada mudras.
  • Surya Temple:
    Situated on the northern side of the Shree Jagannath temple, this saptaratha temple faces east. The deity, Lord Surya, is said to have been brought from Konark by King Narasimha Deva of the Bhoj Dynasty in 1622-1647 AD.
  • Bhubaneswari Temple:
    Located on the western side of the temple facing east, this temple houses an image of Saraswati in the Jagamohana. Images of Savitri, Gayatri, and Sasthi are installed on the northern side.
  • Nrutta Ganapati:
    This temple, situated in the southwestern corner of the temple facing south, houses an eight-armed dancing image of Lord Ganapati. Believed to have been built in the 13th century AD.
  • Bata Ganesha:
    Located below the Kalpabata within the temple premises, this temple is dedicated to Ganesha. The poet Jagannath Das of the 16th century is known to have recited his compositions of the Odia Bhagavata here.
  • Kanchi Ganesh:
    Also known as Bhanda Ganesh, this temple stands on the western side of the temple premises. The four-armed deity, with his consort on his lap, was brought from Kanchi by Gajapati Purushottama Deva during his Kanchi expedition. The deity's erotic nature suggests it is a Tantric image.
  • Kalpabata:
    A large banyan tree in the southern side of the inner enclosure, mentioned in the Skanda Purana and Brahma Purana. Circumambulating the tree and stepping on its shadow is believed to lead to 'Kesavalaya', or the abode of Vishnu.
  • Rohini Kund:
    Located slightly west of the banyan tree, this pool is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. It is considered sacred due to the presence of Vishnu and Lakshmi. The pool, now a stone water-vat, contains carvings of the Nila Chakra of Vishnu and a four-handed crow. Water poured here is sprinkled on pilgrims.
  • Mukti Mandapa:
    This 38-foot square structure with 16 pillars was renovated by Gourirani, the wife of Mansingh, the chief of Emperor Akbar's army, according to the Madala Panji. Brahmin pandits, Dandi sanyasis, Jagadguru Sankaracharya, Deula Purohit, and Rajguru are entitled to sit in the Mukti Mandapa.