|
Index
File
Current
File
Foreigners
Take a Close Look at the Bathing Jagannath
PURI:
Thousands of Hindu devotees and tourists thronged
the coastal town of Puri in Orissa on Tuesday to witness
the sacred bathing ceremony of the Hindu god, Lord
Jagannath, prior to the world famous Rath Yatra (chariot
festival).
Amid
blowing of conch shells and beating of cymbals, the
giant limbless wooden images of three deities - Lord
Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister
Subhadra - were taken out of the temple in traditional
gear and given bath by the priests.
Hundreds of foreign tourists also witnessed the ceremony,
one of India's biggest religious events. Many of them
said they came to witness the ritual since the temple
is out of bounds for foreigners. They can have a glimpse
of the idols during the procession conducted along
the streets.
"I actually came here twice," said a foreign tourist.
"It was my dream to come to Puri and see Lord Jagannath
because Western people are not allowed to go inside
the temple. It is therefore rare luck to see Lord
Jagannath," said another.
After the sacred bathing ceremony, the three deities
were taken in a procession around the town. People
lined up along the streets to have darshan (view).
The chariot festival involves a ten-day trip by Lord
Jagannath to his aunt's house with sister Subhadra
and Balaram. The main ceremony of the event consists
of pulling of the three giant chariots by devotees.
The journey is a round trip from the main temple to
another nearby temple where the idols rest for seven
days before their return to the main temple. At the
termination of the ceremony, the chariots are broken
up and used to manufacture religious relics. Every
year, new chariots are made. The festival, which falls
in July-August, is being celebrated for the last ten
centuries.
The Jagannath temple, about 60 km from the state Capital,
Bhubaneswar, is one of the holiest places for the
Hindus in India. The building is 65 metres high, mounted
on the mystic 'chakras' or wheels.
According to believers, Lord Jagannath is the incarnation
of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver, one of the trinity
of the Hindu pantheon. The other two are Brahma, the
Creator, and Shiva, the Destroyer.
| 
