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Juggernaut / Jagannath Lord Of The World

Vishnu as the Preserver is one of the most popular gods in the Hindu Triad and is generally represented as a black being with four arms, for it is common to add a number of extra arms to the deities to symbolize their potency. Of the nine incarnations of Vishnu, Krishna was the eighth, a preeminently popular divinity among the people of India to-day, and one of his manifestations is that of Juggernaut, who has the supreme place in the minds and hearts of many millions.

According to the account of some, Puri owes its origin to legendary claims connected with the fatal arrow that killed Krishna and whose bones were allowed to remain for some time exposed under the tree where he fell, until a pious monk discovered them and gave them a worthy resting-place. Later the king Indradhumna, who sought to propitiate Vishnu, was told to make an image and place the bones inside of it, and he would be richly rewarded for his labours, and he secured the architect of the gods to make the image.

The great temple and one hundred smaller ones within the sacred enclosure are surrounded by a quadrangular wall twenty-two feet high and about six hundred and fifty feet on either side, each one pierced by a large gateway. The main entrance faces the east, and is called the Lion gate from the colossal stone lions crouching on either side as if guarding it against all intrusion. Directly in front stands the monolithic pillar noted for its age and beautiful carvings at the base. With the death of the last ruler of the Lion line of monarchs the worship of Siva became supplanted by that of Vishnu, and the present temple was built within fifty years from the rise of the new monarchy in 1324, and dedicated to the god Juggernaut who is one of the incarnations of Vishnu.

The three sacred images are made of the close grained Nim wood and their preservation during the centuries is owing to the peculiar bitterness that protects it against all insects. The rude images are made of a solid block, and are hideous caricatures of the human figure, without hands or legs. The images of Juggernaut and his brother are each about six feet high and the former is painted black and the latter white. The statue of the sister is but four and one-half feet and the colour is golden. Together they occupy a place on a long platform throughout the year until they are taken out during the car festival season. Each one is provided with an extensive and varied wardrobe and their dress is frequently changed, and these rude images are greatly improved by having the most of their imperfections covered.

Had not the purposes of Ranjit Singh miscarried, this temple would contain the richest single gem in the world for he bequeathed the famous Kohinoor diamond to the shrine of Juggernaut with the hope of obtaining untold meritorious blessings, though his life was far from blameless and at Lahore we saw the celebrated monument of this once noted maharajah of the Sikhs, commemorating himself as well as his numerous wives and concubines who ascended his funeral pyre and suffered self-immolation.