One of the Char Dham Pilgrimage Site
The Jagannath Puri temple is one of the Char Dham Pilgrimage sites which are four very religiously important places in India for Hindus. Visiting these temples is a very special religious journey.
World's Largest Kitchen
The Jagannath Puri Temple also has the World's largest kitchen. Isn't it fascinating that it cooks food for thousand of people every single day. The kitchen is very big in size and it is world wide famous for preparing a huge amount of food daily effectively and efficiently.
Famous Rath Yatra
The temple celebrates a very unique and big festival known as the Rath Yatra. During the festival huge wooden carts carry the statue of Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra, and brother Balabhadra through the streets of Puri.
Mystical Flag
The temple has a mysterious flag that always flutters in the opposite direction of the wind. Isn't it interesting that no matter in which direction the wind is flowing the flag always seems to blow the other way.
Sudarshan Chakra Mystery
At the top of the Jagannath Puri Temple there is a Sudarshan Chakra which is a very special symbol. The mysterious thing about the Sudarshan Chakra is that no matter where you stand or which direction yo face the Chakra always looks the same.
Mahaprasad Tradition
The Jagannath Puri Temple has a very special tradition of making Mahaprasad which is a religiously important food. The Mahaprasad is cooed in huge earthen pots using firewood. The food is considered to be very religiously important and it is offered to the God to seek blessings from them.
No Shadow
It is very mysterious that no shadow of the temple is visible at any time of the day. This means that no matter where you look the shadow of the temple never appears.
Ever-Fresh Food
The jagannath puri temple offers Mahaprasad to its visitors, it is a special kind of food that always stay fresh and never get bad in taste. No longer how long it is kept, food always remains fresh and tasty.
Neem Wood Idol
The statues of God at the Jagannath Puri Temple are made from neem wood. In a time period of 12 to 19 years these wooden Gods are replaces in a grand ceremony. The temple is following this tradition from a very long time which make it a very unique and important ritual.
Kalinga Architectural Style
The Jagannath Puri Temple is build in the Kalinga architectural style. This means that the temple has a unique design and it is decorated with beautiful carvings and textures. The Kalinga architectural style is very ancient and shows how talented ancient people are.
Entry Restriction
At the Jagannath Puri Temple only people who follow Hindu religion are allowed to enter. This rule is strictly followed to maintain the temple's sanctity. Non-Hinuds can only view the temple from outside but they are not allowed to go inside.
Holy Pillar
The Jagannath Puri Temple has a holy pillar called the Aruna Stambha at its entrance. The interesting thing about the pillar is that it originally came from the Sun Temple in Konark. Now it is a very important and holy part of the temple.
Sea and Temple Connection
One of the most interesting facts about the Jagannath Puri Temple is that once you enter into the temple, you can't hear the sound of the sea even though the sea is very close by.
Wooden cart Construction
Every year new cart which is made up of wood are build for the Rath Yatra festival at the Jagannath Puri Temple. These carts are made up from special tress and people follow all old traditions while constructing them.
Daily Ritual
The last but amongst the most interesting facts about the Jagannath Puri Temple is that it follows a strict daily routine of rituals. The interesting thing is that everyday 24 special ceremonies are performed to honor the Gods.