Mysteries of Naba Kalebara: Unraveling the Secrets of Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu – one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism.

The temple in Puri, India is well-known for its annual Ratha Yatra, also called the chariot festival, which involves pulling three main deities on large and intricately adorned temple chariots. The image of Jagannath, which is made of wood and gave rise to the English term 'juggernaut', is distinct from the stone and metal idols commonly found in Hindu temples. Every twelve or 19 years, a precise duplicate of the image is ceremoniously crafted to replace the original. The temple is also considered one of the Char Dham pilgrimage destinations.

Some interesting facts about temple:

• The temple complex covers an area of   over 400,000 square feet and contains     over 120 temples and shrines.

• The temple has a unique architecture that combines elements of Kalinga, Dravidian, and Nagara styles.

•The temple has four gates, each named   after a different direction: the Eastern gate is called Singhadwara, the Southern   gate is called Ashwadwara, the Western gate is called Vyaghradwara, and the   Northern gate is called Hastidwara.

•The temple has a kitchen called the   Anand Bazaar, which is one of the largest vegetarian kitchens in the world and serves free meals to thousands of devotees every day.

•The temple has a complex system of rituals and ceremonies that are carried out by a team of over 6,000 priests and temple workers.

HISTORY

 

According to legend, Lord Krishna's heart was left in Puri after his physical body departed the earth. The temple was built on this sacred spot in the 12th century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva.The image of Jagannath is made of wood and is believed to be a  of Lord Krishna's divine form.

One of the most significant ceremonies associated with the Jagannath temple is the Naba Kalebara, which translates to "new body." This ceremony is held every twelve or 19 years when the wooden images of the deities are replaced with new ones made of a specific type of neem tree. This elaborate ritual involves a complex set of rules and procedures, and only a select group of priests are allowed to participate in it.

During the Naba Kalebara, the old images are buried in a special graveyard within the temple complex, and the new images are consecrated in a sacred ceremony. The entire process is seen as a symbolic representation of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and is believed to renew the power and energy of the deities.

By Manvi Saini