The Legend Of Lord Jagannath

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Lord Jagannath is a popular deity in Hinduism. The most famous temple of Lord Jagannath exists in Puri which is located in the state of Odisha. Every year the Rath Yatra procession is carried out with great enthusiasm in the honour of the Lord.

Lord Jagannath is considered to be a form of Lord Krishna. His idol is usually depicted as a carved wooden stump with incomplete arms. He stands beside His sister Subhadra and elder brother Balaram or Balabhadra. He is sometimes regarded as the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu instead of Buddha.

Jagannath literally means the master of universe. Since Lord Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, Jagannath is considered as a form which protects the universe. The idol of Lord Jagannath has been designed to resemble human beings. It has a big head which is merging with the chest and big, round eyes. Interestingly, you will not be able to spot the arms and legs in the idol. This is because the idol of Jagannath is said to be incomplete.

STORY OF LORD VENKATESHWARA

Do you want to know why the idol of Lord Jagannath is incomplete? Then read on.

Legends Associated With Lord Jagannath
There are many version of the legend of Lord Jagannath. Some say that Lord Jagannath was formed out of a former deity Nila Madhava while others believe that the idol of Lord Jagannath was formed by the mortal remains of Lord Krishna after He died.

According to the popular myths, the mortal remains of Lord Krishna took the form of wood and came floating through the sea. A man named Jara Savara took the wooden plank and started worshipping it. When king Indradyumna came to know about it, he planned to carve idols out of the plank. Soon two idol makers appeared before him and took the work on one condition that no one would see the idols until they are completely made.

So, the two artists started the work in a closed room. These artists were actually Lord Vishnu and Vishwakarma in disguise. One day, the king could not hear any sound from the room where the idol was being made. Out of curiosity, the king opened the door and saw the incomplete idols. The idol makers vanished as per the condition and the idols remained incomplete.

Thus, the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra do not have any limbs.

Lord Jagannath At Puri
It is said that the idols of the Jagannath temple in Puri were established by Lord Brahma. He presided over all the religious rituals conducted before placing the idols in the temple. Every year the idols are taken out of the temple on a chariot or 'rath' and taken on a tour to the nearby temple known as the Gundicha temple where they stay for seven days. According to the beliefs, Lord Jagannath visits His aunt during this time. After seven days, the Bahuda yatra takes place where the idols are brought back to the temple.