A Day with Puri's Beloved

 Saanika Kodial, 271

The faint scent of marigolds, revitalizing rays of sunlight, and an unexplainable feeling of serenity in the air… 

A couple months back, I had the fortune of visiting Puri, Odisha with my family. While there, we went to the Jagannath Temple. We assembled outside it at 6 AM, with a priest we had hired for the day. He was extremely sweet and told us a lot about the history of the temple. There are four doors to the temple, namely the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western gates. I was astounded to learn the mythology behind every detail of the age-old structure. As soon as one enters through the main entrance, i.e., the Eastern gate, the Sun Pillar comes into view. The Sun Pillar, made of chlorite, reaches a height of 25’2”. It is said that the first rays of the sun fall on this carved pillar. It was transported from the Konark Sun Temple by the Marathas.

Picture via www.farhorizons.com

We passed the pillar and followed the priest inside the substantial courtyard of the temple. I was amused to see several monkeys around us. The priest explained how the people inside lived in complete harmony with the animals, considering all beings children of God Jagannath. There were numerous smaller temples too, all honouring different deities. We passed all of them and went to stand in line to meet Lord Jagannath. As soon as He came into view, time slowed down for a few seconds and all I could see was Him (and His huge saucer-like eyes!). There was an energy the three deities exuded that made me feel tremendously happy and at peace, like I never wanted to leave. From men climbing up the structure to tie people’s wish scarves at the top to the courtyard filled with worshippers, devotion could be seen everywhere. We finally got out and were given bhog, the food offered to God. We took it home and enjoyed its simple, flavourful taste in the hotel room, with the memories of an unforgettable experience fresh in our minds. 

Picture via www.blogspot.com