Jagannath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jagannathଜଗନ୍ନାଥ |
|
|---|---|
 |
Jagannath is a special form of the Hindu god Krishna. His name comes from the Sanskrit language and means "Lord of the Universe." Many followers of Vaishnavism, a branch of Hinduism, see Jagannath as a very kind and caring form of Krishna.
The most famous Jagannath temple is in Puri, a city in Odisha, India. People often call this city Jagannath Puri. Every year, a huge festival called the Rath Yatra takes place there.
Contents
The Famous Jagannath Temple in Puri
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the biggest and most important temples in India. People have worshipped Lord Jagannath here for a very long time. The temple is built in the Kalinga style, which is a special type of architecture from that region.
This temple is very important for Vaishnavism. It is also one of the Char Dham, which are four major pilgrimage sites for Hindus in India. A pilgrimage is a special journey to a holy place. The temple is huge, standing over 200 feet (about 60 meters) tall. It is a great example of ancient Indian building styles from after the Gupta Empire. Hindus have been visiting this temple for pilgrimages since around 800 CE.
The Grand Rath Yatra Festival
Every year in June or July, a big festival called the Ratha yatra is held. This festival is dedicated to Jagannath. During this time, special statues of Jagannath, his brother Baladeva, and his sister Subhadra are brought out of the temple. They are placed on giant chariots and pulled through the streets of Puri.
The chariots travel about 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) to the Gundicha Temple. Millions of people come to see this festival each year. Even the King of Puri takes part by sweeping the path in front of Lord Jagannath's chariot. The statues stay at the Gundicha Temple for a few days before returning to the main temple. Similar Rath Yatra processions happen at Jagannath temples all over the world. The word "Juggernaut" actually comes from this festival. It describes something that is a massive, unstoppable force.
Important Festivals of Jagannath
Followers of Jagannath celebrate many traditional festivals throughout the year. Out of these, thirteen festivals are especially important.
- Niladri Mahodaya
- Snana Yatra
- Ratha Yatra or Sri Gundicha Yatra
- Sri Hari Sayan
- Utthapan Yatra
- Parswa Paribartan
- Dakhinayan Yatra
- Prarbana Yatra
- Pusyavishek
- Uttarayan
- Dola Yatra
- Damanak Chaturdasi
- Chandan Yatra
The Ratha Yatra is the most famous and important of all the Jagannath festivals.
Images for kids
-
Jagannath statues are made from wood. They are replaced every 8, 12, or 19 years. This picture shows logs being transported to make new Jagannath statues.
-
The Jagannath festivals in Puri bring together crowds of all backgrounds.
-
An old Dadhivaman statue in Kendrapara, Odisha.
-
Jagannath in the Narasimha or Nrusingha Besha in Koraput.
-
Shri Jagannath with Shri Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
-
Balarama, Subhadra and Jagannath in the temple at Puri, with many human and sacred figures, buildings and animals. Oil painting from Puri, Orissa, around 1880-1910.
-
The Ashwadwara (Horse Gate) at Puri with statues of Jagannath on a white horse and Balabhadra on a black horse.
-
Shrila Prabhupada in Golden Gate Park with a Jagannath statue to his right, in February 1967.
-
Claudius Buchanan's writings helped introduce Indian religions to American audiences.
-
The Jagannath symbol is part of the Krishna images used in ISKCON events worldwide.
-
Rath Yatra in Puri (2007).
-
The Jagganath temple in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
_of_Jagannath_temple,_Puri.JPG)
See also
In Spanish: Jaganatha para niños
