Mahodadhi The “Great Ocean” along the beach of Puri on the south-east of Sri Mandira is called Mahodadhi, Sagara, Samudra and sarvotirtha-maya, “the essence of all the holy bathing places”. The ocean beach is divided into two parts by the road connecting Sri Mandira to the beach: towards the south we have Svargadvara (where Brahma descended to Earth for the installation of Jagannatha) and Chakratirtha (where the Daru Brahman landed). Chakratirtha: Here the holy wooden log originally used to carve the Deities of Jagannatha reached the shore on Phalguna sukla Dvadasi , also called Govinda Maha Dvadasi, where the Balgandi (Balukhanda) Nala empties into the sea, also called Banki Muhana, about 3 km from Sri Mandira. Govinda Dvadasi is a rare astrological occurrence that falls once every many years. The last was in 1962. The next is in 2009. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims assemble here to take bath in the Ocean, then they visit the temple of Jagannatha for Darshana and give charity to brahmanas. The place where the Daru Brahman landed is marked by a small temple with an image of Vishnu’s Chakra that is regularly worshiped together with small Deities of Jagannatha, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. Next to it, a small temple dedicated to Sani (Saturn), and at some distance, a tank called Piligrama, where pilgrims perform Sraddha for their deceased forefathers. Chakra Narayana: On the beach at Cakratirtha road, in Balukhanda, Banki Muhana, there is a very small and rundown temple which marks the place where the Daru originally came ashore. The Indra Nilamani Purana relates that the Daru arrived on Govinda dvadasi, in the month of Phalguna. Pilgrims come here in that day to take an auspicious bath. Very near is a temple dedicated to Sani (Saturn, a manifestation of Shiva) and the Navagraha or nine planets. Chakra Nrisimha (also called Jagannatha Sasural): Another important temple in this area is dedicated to Chakra Nrisimha, said to have been installed by Kandu Rishi. The temple itself is said to have been built in the 1930s. There are three Nrisimha Deities in the temple - Chakra Nrisimha in the middle, Lakshmi Nrisimha to His west and Adi Nrisimha to His east - all accompanied by Lakshmi Devi. The name of the temple suggests a connection with Varuna, Lakshmi’s father (called jagannatha sasural, of “Jagannatha’s father in law”). The story of the churning of the Ocean of Milk says that when in Satya yuga the Devas participated in the churning of the ocean, Mahalakshmi appeared from the ocean and married Vishnu. Therefore she is considered the daughter of Varuna, the Deva of the ocean. Every year the Deity of Sridevi leaves Sri Mandira and comes here for the entire month of Margasira; Her return to the temple is celebrated with great solemnity. Every Amavasya, the Deity of Amavasya Narayana (from the Sri Mandira) goes to the ocean in procession as representative of Jagannatha. Bedi Hanuman: The temple is in the Chakratirtha area called Balukhanda, and is also called Dariya Mahavira. Bedi means “chains” and refers to the fact that this Deity appears to be chained to the wall from the waist down. It is said that Jagannatha asked Hanuman to remain here and keep an eye on the sea because the local people were afraid that the ocean would overflow, but when Sri Ramachandra appeared at Ayodhya, Hanuman could not resist to the idea of joining Him in His lila and so he went to Ayodhya. Some people say that Hanuman could not resist the urge to go to Ayodhya and eat the special sweets there. So in the end Jagannatha decided to tie him up from his hip to the wall When the 1999 cyclone hit Orissa and the waters went sweeping inland for kilometers, completely destroying the port city of Paradvip, for example, the waves stopped right in front of the temple and did not proceed further. The temple of Bedi Hanuman is also considered Puruna Nahara: The ancient King’s palace (that was used at the time of king Prataparudra) is in the Chakratirtha Road area, near the beach, and includes within its campus the temples/mathas of Sonar Gauranga and Nadiar Gauranga. In the Sonar Gauranga Matha there is a golden ashtadhatu Deity of Sri Chaitanya and another golden Deity of Sri Krishna, said to have been installed by king Prataparudra. Considering the liberal philosophy of Chaitanya, we must say that it is rather strange that this temple does not allow entry to foreign devotees.Next to it, we find the Nadiar Gauranga Matha. For more information about these temples, see the chapter on Mathas.The ocean beach comprises not only the Chakra Tirtha area, but after crossing the Temple Road (the street that connects Sri Mandira with the beach), it continues in the area known as Svargadvara. Svargadvara: In this place Lord Brahma descended in the occasion of the installation of the original Deities of Lord Jagannatha, therefore it is known as the “road to the higher planets”. The crematorium is also a place sacred to Lord Shiva. Inside the crematorium compound, there are small shrines to Bhutanatha and Smasani Chandi.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:12:12 +0000
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