The Jagannath Temple is located at Puri in Odisha, and it presents one of India’s top spiritual monuments and architectural marvels. It forms part of the sacred pilgrimage of Char Dham and attracts millions of devotees and tourists every year. Here are ten interesting facts that make the temple truly unique.
1. Dome Absence Of a Shadow
One of the most enigmatic features of the Jagannath Temple is its dome, which casts no shadow during any hour of the day even when it is fully illuminated by sunlight. This architectural wonder has puzzled scientists and historians alike.
2. Optical Illusion by Sudarshan Chakra
This is the Sudarshan Chakra that is placed at the top of the temple and that weighs around one ton. Whether you are standing in Puri or not, the chakra will always seem to be looking at you. In addition to being a work of engineering and craftsmanship, this phenomenon adds to the mystique of the temple.
3. The Unique Rath Yatra Celebration
Rath Yatra is the only festival in which the deities come out of the sanctum and give darshan to devotees. Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra get their chariots built once every year to take part in one of the most grand and highly anticipated festivals of all India.
4. No Birds Fly Over the Temple
This temple is situated in coastal location with a large vertical area, but still no birds or planes are ever seen flying over it. The scientific rationality still remains unclear that is why many believe it as divine phenomena.
5. Food Never Wastes
The largest temple kitchen in the world, preparing more than 56 types of offerings daily, otherwise known as offering to the god or Mahaprasad. Whether many devotees are present or not, the food is never wasted and is totally referred as an unusual phenomenon attributed to divine.
6. Opposite Wind Direction for Hoisting Flags
Such flags can be hoisted at the temple, which always flutters against a natural law by blowing in an opposite direction when wind blows. This phenomenon has attracted many visitors through the ages.
7. The Mega Scale of the Temple Kitchen
Even as the daily Mahaprasad is prepared by the temple kitchen using the 752 earthen ovens, up to 5,000 devotees can be served at a time, which itself showcases the unparalleled scale at which the temple operates.
8. The Temple Magnetic
Many people have believed that the Jagannath Temple has had some strong magnetic forces, most of which they believe to be from the metals used inits construction. According to them, these metallic inclusion keep Sudarshan Chakra in dusome steadiness over the dome.
9. The Changing Flags
Every day, the flag is exchanged with another flag at the top of the temple, and a priest goes to the top of the colossal structure to perform this act. The hours of the day vary with each hour passing, which many devotees find wonderfully captivating.
10. The Wooden Idols Are Replaced Every 12 Years
Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are carved from wood and kept for replacement after every 12 years at a very divine and grand event known as Nabakalebara.
