The Cult and Culture of Lord Jagannath


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Contributed articles.







Origin & Antiquity of the Cult of Lord Jagannath


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In the Rig-Veda, 10.155.3, there is mention of a Daru (log of wood) floating in the ocean. Vedic prayers have indicated for taking shelter in the Daru. In spite of the fact that Acharya Sayana, the noted commentator on the Vedas, has categorically interpreted the hymn with Jagannath as the Daru floating at the sea shores, some scholars have refuted this interpretation under the argument that the hymn deals with âAlaxmi Stavaâ of Arayi.




The Jagannatha Temple at Puri


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An account of the architecture, sculpture, paintings and associated festivals of the great Vaisṇava shrine of Jagannatha at Puri in Orissa, on the east coast of India, together with a new analysis of the origin of the icons of the Triad.







The Cult of Jagannātha


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Bhubaneswar


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In this informative new book, Ravi Kalia continues his examination of the planning of Indian cities begun with his earlier study of Chandigarh. Here, Kalia makes systematic inquiries into the political circumstances that brought about modern Bhubaneswar, the capital of the state of Orissa, to reveal the historical and social circumstances that shaped the city. In this account, Kalia brilliantly shows the interplay of indigenous religious forces, regional loyalty, and Western secular ideas in the context of twentieth-century international architecture and planning movements. This book will prove invaluable to historians, architects, planners, sociologists, and scholars interested in India, as well as those interested in urban planning in developing countries.




Communication with God


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Legends of Shree Jagannath


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The book narrates interesting and amazing legends of Lord Jagannath. The mythical, historical, metaphysical, philosophical and cultural paradigms intertwine leading to an open-ended interpretation as questions arise in the seeker's mind get the corresponding answers based on their perception and intellect, blurring the lines between illusion and reality. Here faith replaces reason heralding a miraculous transformation of the "soul.” A true makeover, revealing the essence of the self, removing imprints of past "Samskaras" as one takes a dip in the ocean of "Bhakti.” It is in this mode that one should read these legends of the Lord. It is this esoteric experience which each quest for divinity signifies. Numerous accounts have been written, numerous experiences abound, yet it is " one's experience of the divine which defines and transforms one's vision of the real and surreal....I leave the decision to the readers....to experience their own version of reality as the ultimate goal which matters is "Sharanagati" to obtain "Kaivalya" a superior form of Liberation or "moksha", here "the power of the pure consciousness settles in its own pure nature".(Kaivalya Pada:Sutra 34 of Patanjali's Yogasutras.)