One of our close relatives had suggested that we visit the Jagannath Temple at Agara in HSR Layout and we decided to be there on Monday, 8th October 2018.
HSR Layout is an abbreviation of Hosur-Sarjapura Road Layout, and once upon a time this was way out of the city limits. The exponential growth in this area in the last 12 to 15 years can be attributed to the IT & ITES organizations setting up shop in the Outer Ring Road. Till recently, I wasn’t aware that Bangalore had such a significant Odiya population, until my wife and I visited this temple, built and very well maintained by Odiya community. The architecture of this temple takes inspiration from the Puri-Jagannath Temple. Although it is a miniature replica in terms of the size and area, the idols bear a remarkable resemblance to the original one at Puri. The idols are carved out from the trunk of a fragrant log of wood, similar to the original one at Puri.
It is dedicated to Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra – the only brothers and sister temple, if I am not mistaken. It is more popularly referred to as Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra – the main trinity. While the present day deity at Puri was built by the Ganga dynasty. However, as per the legend, Jagannatha temple owes its origins to the tribals and originally worshipped secretly by the tribal chief Viswavasu. King Indradyumna who had heard about the powerful deity was determined to see and worship the deity. Having been denied to see and offer his prayers. King Indradyumna observed a fast unto death, determined to see the principal deity Neela Madhaba. It was then that a celestial voice announced to the king that “Thou shalt see him”…The king built a magnificent temple. The King had a vision of Lord Jagannath and an astral voice directed him to receive the log of a fragrant tree by the sea shore to make idols of the God. It is believed that Indradyumna got Vishwakarma, the architect of Gods to build the magnificent temple to house the idols. Lord Vishnu himself appeared in the guise of a carpenter to make the idols, but on the condition that he was to be left alone and undisturbed until he finished the work.
After just two weeks, when there was no noise from within the temple, the queen got anxious and requested the king to open the door and check if all was well. They saw Vishnu at work, and he promptly abandoned his work and left with the work unfinished, since the King had not kept his side of the promise by not disturbing him. The idol was devoid of hands, but King Indradyumna heard a divine voice asking him to install the idol, as is, and which he did. To this day all the Lord Jagannath temples around the country have the idols carved out of wood, devoid of hands and the face prominently and decoratively carved. Once every 8 or 12 or 18 years, when one lunar month follows another lunar month in the Indian calendar month of Ashada, the old idols are buried within the temple premises and three new ones in the same size, shape, and with elaborate carvings to get the look and feel of the earlier ones are installed. The most recent change was done in the year 2015 CE.
As per the scriptures, Lord Jagannath is the best brother to his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra; best husband to Goddess Mahalaxmi and the best son to his parents as he performs the annual Shraddha in the month of Marghashira during Amavasya. As a master, he enjoys all the comforts during various festivals, grants wishes to his subjects and to those who surrender before him, he takes the utmost care.
While all the replica Lord Jagannatha temples across the land may not carry the aura or the divine powers of the Puri-Jagannatha temple, people visiting the temple feel blessed, merely by being present in his abode and surrendering before him. If the mind is pure and there is devotion in the prayers, the Lord will certainly grant his wishes.
Sarvam Krishnarpanam Astu (Everything, I offer to Krishna)
No comments:
Post a Comment