Category Archives: Orissa

Bhadrak

Bhaktivinod Thakur lived for sometime in Bhadrak. (Ref books– Bhaktivinod Vani Vaibhav and Seventh Goswami). In March, 1860, Bhaktivinod Thakur ( that time Kedarnatha Dutta) moved his family to Bhadrak taking the position of headmaster for forty-five rupees a month. So he left Cuttack for Bhadrak where he had a house constructed and brought his family. Here His mother had contracted epilepsy, and the disease gradually grew worse. An Orissan brahmana came to Bhadrak to recite the Ramayana, and hearing the news of Kedaranatha’s mother’s disease, he made a preparation with sandalwood and oil mixed with conch powder and gave it to her. His mother was quickly cured and became very healthy again. Kedaranatha amply rewarded the brahmana, and everyone was satisfied and happy. During his stay in Bhadrak, Kedaranatha wrote a book called Math’s of Orissa which was published in 1860. One of the final requests of his grandfather had been that he tour the temples of Orissa, so when Kedaranatha journeyed to Puri, he visited all of the major temples in Orissa en route, keeping a careful record of all that he observed. The book was made of this records. Sir William Hunter, a reputed British historian, took note of and praised the book in his own book, Orissa, which was published in 1872.

In 1860, his first son, Annada, was born here in Bhadrak, and on 18th December he received a fifth grade teacher’s appointment in Midnapur. So for Midnapore having stayed in Bhadrak for over 9 months.

Many years later in November1877, Kedarnatha dutta was again transferred to Bhadrak and was promoted there as Deputy Magistrate. While he was resident in Bhadrak, Mr. Robbins wrote him a very affectionate letter from Orissa, practically begging him to return to Puri. On July 11, 1878, the Government issued the Thakura Summary Power and in August transferred him to Narail.

Srila Prabhupad with Jayapataka Swami on Bhadrak: Just a few hundred yards from the place of mandir, Lord Caitanya was staying for five days. Then about two miles away on another occasion; He stayed at a RadhaMadanamohan or some mandir. Lord Caitanya’s been going there on occasion. This place is mentioned in Caitanya-Caritamrta. And the people who have given us the temple, they are the descendants of the devotee with whom Lord Caitanya stayed with. They’re the same family. And so they’re very enthusiastic and they want to give all help. Although it’s a small place, they’ve already made a couple of members, life patron members, and they’re trying to collect donation. There’s a college there, and some of the professors of the college come regularly to the temple, and they are chanting japa and they’re bringing their students and other colleagues.

Prabhupada: Good field. Lord Chaitanya visits Bhadrak and gives his shawl. Lord Chaitanya visits Bhadrak with Ramananda Raya on his first attempt to go to Vrindavan.

Snap11

In the village of Santra, near Bhadraka, a devotee named Yasodanandana Nyayalankara installed the Deity of Madana Mohana.

One His way to Vrindavana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed with Ramananda Raya at this temple for five days. The temple is situated on the bank of the river Kalindi (shalindi) and the ghat where Mahaprabhu bathed is still known as Gauranga-ghat.

Snap14

At that time Ganga-narayana Vacaspati, a descendant of the above mentioned Yasodanandana, was the sevaite of the Deity. Sri Caitanya mahaprabhu showered His grace upon Ganganarayana by giving His own cloth to the latter. That piece of cloth is still being preserved in the temple there in a box. Every year on the the day of Hera Pancami, on the occasion of the disappearance anniversary of Ganganarayana Thakura, this piece of cloth is taken out from the box for everyone to take darshan. Thousands of people come on this day for beholding the sacred darshan of Mahaprabhu’s cloth. Santia is four miles away from Bhadraka station.
 mahaprabhus-cloth-in-box (1)
While Bhaktivinod Thakur wasworking as headmaster in Bhadrak,he regularly visited this temple and used to sit at a particular place and do his bhajan.

Snap15

Lord Chaitanya bades farewell to Ramananda Raya in Bhadrak to make his attempt to visit Vrindavan. Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya lila16th Chapter describes the beautiful incident of separation-

Text 153
ei-mata cali’ prabhu ‘remuna’ aila
tatha haite ramananda-raye vidaya dila

Translation
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu finally arrived at Remuna, where He bade farewell to Sri Ramananda Raya.

Purport
It was stated in the firstchapter of Madhya-lila, verse 149, that Ramananda Raya was bade farewell from Bhadraka. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that in those days the place called Remuna also included Bhadraka.

Text 154
bhumete padila raya nahika cetana
raye kole kari’ prabhu karaye krandana

Translation
When Ramananda Raya fell to the ground and lost consciousness, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took him upon His lap and began to cry.

Text 155
rayera vidaya-bhava na yaya sahana kahite na pari ei tahara varnana

Translation
Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s feelings of separation from Ramananda Raya are very difficult to describe. Indeed, it is almost intolerable to do so, and therefore I cannot describe them further.

Introduction to Jagannath Puri

Introduction to Jagannath Puri

The city of Puri, also called as Jagannatha Puri, Nilacala and Sri Ksetra, is considered to be equal to Vrindavana and Navadvipa, a sacred Vaisnava holy place. For thousands of years, great sages and other exalted persons have travelled to Puri on pilgrimage. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chose to reside here for the last eighteen years of His life.

The city is shaped like the shadow of a conch-shell. In the center of the conch-shell shadow, there is a portion of raised ground called Nilgiri or “the blue hill.” On the crest of Nilgiri stands an imposing temple complex dedicated to Vishnu as Jagannath, “the Maintainer of the Universe.” In Sanskrit “jagat” means the universe, and “natha” means the maintainer.

Glories of Jagannatha Puri

The Jagannatha Temple

Whatever pastime Lord Krishna performs in Goloka Mathura and Dvaraka, He manifests all these pastimes in Puri Dhama.

In Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrtam (2.1.159-163) Srila Sanatana Gosvami describes Puri-dhama:

In Purusottama-ksetra Nilacala, by the shore of the salt-water ocean, the Lord of the universe (Jagannatha) is splendidly manifested in a spiritual form of wood.

“On the northern shore of the ocean, in Purusottama-ksetra, the supremely blissful Personality of Godhead pretends to be made of wood.

The Vishnu Purana explains: In the country of Orissa, in Nilacala in Purusottama-ksetra, the spiritual and blissful Personality of Godhead appears as the wooden Deity named Lord Jagannatha.”

“In Bharata-varsa, in the country of Orissa, in Bhu-svarga, in Purusottama-ksetra, the Lord of the Universe (Jagannatha), who makes the devotees fearless, whose pastimes are like those of a human being, and who grants liberation, appears in a form of wood.”

The Goddess of Fortune personally cooks for Him. When He has eaten, the merciful Lord gives His remnants to His devotees, which even the demigods cannot obtain.”

Jagannatha Puri Mahaprasad

These remnants, called mahaprasadam, should be eaten without considering who has touched them or from where they were brought. “Oh what a glory of that place! Even an ass there becomes a four-armed resident of Vaikuntha. Anyone who goes there once is never born again.”

Veda-vyasa explains in the Garuda Purana:
“When the demigods in heaven see the people of Jagannath Puri as four-armed residents of Vaikuntha, holding a conch-shell, cakra and lotus in their hands, they faint again and again.”

Jagannath’s Main Temple

Shree Jagannath Temple Puri

Jagannatha means The “Lord of The Universe”

The main temple structure is 65 meters(214ft.) high and is build on high ground, which makes it look even larger than what it is. The temple complex is having 10.7 acres.

Jagannatha Temple has the largest kitchen in the world and feeds thousands of devotees every day. 1,00,000 peoples prasadam can be prepared in one day and the kitchen can prepare 2,50,000 people on a festival day.

There are 36 traditional communities who render a specific hereditary service to the deities. The temple has as many as 6,000 priests (Pandas).

There is a wheel on top of the Jagannatha temple that consists of an alloy of eight different metals (Asta Dhatus) known as Nila Cakra (blue wheel), it is 11ft 8in high and has a circumference of about 36ft. On Ekadasi day, a lamp is lit near the wheel. Daily a flag is tied on a mast attached to Nila Cakra.

In front of the main temple, there is pillar of height (11m) called Aruna Stambha. It was brought to Puri during the 18th century from the Sun Temple in Konark. Aruna is the charioteer of the Sun God present on top of the pillar.

Patiapavana Jagannatha

Patita Pavana Jagannatha

In the passage room of main gate, there is deity of Lord Jagannatha called Patita Pavana (savior of the most fallen). It can be visible from the road, so the “Non Hindus” can take darshana from outside.

There are four gates to the Jagannatha temple as follows:

These are the main entrances to the Jagannatha temple on the Grand Road –
The Eastern Simha-Dvara (lion Gate)

The Southern Asva Dvara (horse gate)

The Western Vyaghra dvara (tiger gate)

The Northern Hasti dvara (elephant gate)

Inside the Lion Gate, in front of the altar of Lord Jagannatha, is a column called the Garuda Stambha. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu usually saw Lord Jagannatha from a distance from behind this column. Behind this there is a ditch, which was filled with tears of Lord Gauranga and his handprint is melted into the Garuda Stambha.

“Non-Hindus” are strictly prohibited inside the temple But “if one is not allowed to enter the temple, or if he thinks himself unfit to enter the temple, he can look at the wheel from outside the temple, and that is as good as seeing the Deity within.”(Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya Lila 11.195, Purport).

Jagannath Temple