By Chirag
June 24, 2025
The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra have incomplete limbs, symbolizing that God transcends human limitations and embodies divine incompleteness.
The Jagannath Temple’s flag mysteriously flies against the wind, defying logic and adding to the temple’s divine mystique.
Every year, new wooden chariots are constructed using specially selected trees. Not a single nail is used in the process. Artisans use traditional carpentry techniques.
A priest climbs the temple spire daily to change the flag without any safety gear. Remarkably, no accidents have ever occurred, seen as a miracle in itself.
Every 12 to 19 years, during Nabakalebara, the wooden idols are replaced. The sacred Brahma Padarth is secretly transferred at night, with blindfolded priests and no witnesses allowed.
The kitchen of this temple is one of the largest in the world. The quantity of Mahaprasad varies daily, but it never gets wasted, even though no pre-booking or calculations are made.
At the top of the temple rests Sudarshan Chakra. No matter the position of the sun, the Chakra never casts a show on the ground.
Jagannath, meaning Lord of the Universe, steps out only once a year during Rath Yatra. He and his siblings ride giant chariots to the Gundicha Temple for a 9-day stay.
The Jagannath Temple is said to cast no shadow at noon, regardless of the sun’s brightness. Some attribute this to its architecture, others to a divine illusion.