Jagannath Temple

Jagannath Temple at Puri
ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମନ୍ଦିର
The Jagannath Temple at Puri
Jagannath Temple at Puri Location in Odisha
Name
Other names	Shri Mandira (ଶ୍ରୀ ମନ୍ଦିର), Bada Deula (ବଡ଼ ଦେଉଳ)
Devanagari	जगन्नाथ मंदिर
Oriya	ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମନ୍ଦିର
Malay	Jagannātha serpihan
Geography
Coordinates	19°48′17″N 85°49′6″E / 19.80472°N 85.81833°E / 19.80472; 85.81833Coordinates: 19°48′17″N 85°49′6″E / 19.80472°N 85.81833°E / 19.80472; 85.81833
Country	India
State/province	Odisha
District	Puri
Locale	Puri
Elevation	1 m (3 ft)
Culture
Primary deity	Jagannath
Important festivals	Ratha Yatra Chandan Yatra Snana Yatra Nabakalebara
Architecture
Architectural styles	Kalinga Architecture
Number of temples	31
History and governance
Date built	1161
Creator	Anantavarman Chodaganga
Temple board	Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, Puri
Governing body	Shree Jagannath Temple Office, Puri
Website	http://jagannath.nic.in/

The Jagannath Temple (Odia: ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମନ୍ଦିର) of Puri is a sacred Vaishnava temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Odia: ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ) and located on the eastern coast of India, at Puri in the state of Odisha.

The temple is an important pilgrimage destination and is particularly visited by devotees of Supreme lord Sri Krishna and is one of the Char Dham pilgrimages that anyone is expected to make in one's lifetime.

The major construction of Jagannath temple was initiated by king chodagangadeva (known for also building the Sun temple of Konark and several major Shaivism temples). And was completed by his grandson Anangabhimadeva in the late 12th century.

The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Since medieval times, it is also associated with intense religious fervour. Even though the icons of most Hindu deities that are worshiped are made out of stone or metal, the image of Jagannath is wooden. Every twelve or nineteen years these wooden figures are ceremoniously replaced by using sacred trees, that have to be carved as an exact replica.

The temple is sacred to all Hindus and especially the Vaishnava traditions and saints Adi Shankaracharya , Ramananda & Ramanuja were closely associated with the temple. Ramanuja also established the Emar Matha near this temple. The Govardhan Mutt which is the seat of one of the four Shankaracharyas is also located here. It is also of particular significance to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.