Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha, India

Lord Jagannath temple (Sri Mandir) at Puri, Odisha, India Photo: Himanshu Guru (blogger)

How to get an undisturbed darshan of Lord Jagannath in His temple in Puri

Jai Jagannath!

Lord Jagannath is known to everybody across the globe. His world famous Rath Yatra (Car festival or Chariot festival) attracts laksh of devotees to Puri. Besides, everyone wants to have a darshan of the trinity (Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Mata Subhadra) in the Shree Mandir, the abode of the Lord in Puri of Odisha. However, sometimes we come across complains saying the devotees did not managed to get a satisfactory darshan. It is true that Lord Jagannath is the living God and one can get a glimpse of Him only with His wish. So nothing to worry. Even if you can’t have a darshan, it doesn’t means that you are not getting His blessings. But I understand, anyone comes with a wish to visit the Lord on the Ratna Singhasana gets satisfied only when he gets a glimpse of the God. Accordingly, here are something I would like to convey so that next time your chance of having a darshan of the Lord in the temple becomes more probable.

The moment you stepped on to the soil of Puri think of the God and leave everything on Him. Pray Him about your wish of paying a visit to Him. Now, you reached near the temple. Pay your homage to the ‘Patitapabana bana’, the flag on the top of the temple. Now some Pandas may ask you to assist in the darshan.

If you want to meet the Chief Minister of Prime Minister, can you surely get a chance to meet them, once you go either to Navin Niwas in Bhubaneswar or PMO in Delhi? Of course not. Because, they are high profile people with hundreds of works to execute, as they head a state or the country. Now, think, if there is no surety of meeting a person who either runs a state or a country, can you surely meet the God who is running the world? After all Jagannath is Jagat nath, the master of the universe. But yes, once the PM or CM wants you to meet him, probably there would not be any problem. Like this, if the Lord wants, you must get a chance to have His darshan.

When you reached the Singhadwara, the entrance of the temple, some Pandas may ask you to assist for a darshan. It is upto you whether to take their service or not. I have heard of a mythological rule that the amount we spend for the God, when visiting to a temple, we should pay 10 percent of it to the priest. I have also heard the priest who actually conducts the worship for us gets 10 percent of the virtues that we get from the God of having His darshan. If we believe this rule, there is nothing wrong if a Panda (priest) assists you in the darshan and gets satisfied on getting a moneytary amount which is 10 percent of the amount you want to spend in the temple. So, in that case you should opt for him, but if he demands more than that it is ingenuine and you should avoid him. Well, I have heard of some cases when they used hard words. I understand that hurts. But my suggestion is not to argue or fight with him. Simply say him ‘Jay Jagannath’ and surrender his rebuke to the God. Just tell the God that you had to bear hard words and it is His turn to do whatever He feels good. I know, it is tough to bear, but accept it as a distraction. May be it is a test by the God. Your main aim is the Lord and His darshan. So all the time you should try to visualise Him, rather than getting yourself involved in any fight. Well, socially you may be a powerful man and could teach a lesson to him, but at this place just surrender it to the God. Accept that you may be powerful but the God is the supreme power. I know it is easy to advice, but practically hard to follow, but this is the best way out there.

Well, suppose you don’t want to pay anything to any body in the temple and just want to pay a visit to the Lord at your own. In this case first wash your hand and feet at the washing point in front of the entrance and proceed towards the Singhadwara. After you enter ‘Baisi Pabachha’ (22 steps) is there. There is a belief. In the first step there is a black rectangular stone. Step on it. It is believed that once you step on it, the stone takes away your vices. But during the return journey don’t step on it and walk along its side. Otherwise the vices you left earlier will again return to you. It is a belief. It is upto you to whether abide it or not. So, now, walk on the 22 steps and then take a right turn into the ‘Ananda Bazara’ where the God’s offerrings are available. Normally, you should go straight after the 22 steps to reach the temple throught the left path. But since you decided not to take assistance of any Panda, so I said to enter the Ananda Bazara. Because after going straight, you would find a number of Pandas who would ask you to assist.

In the Ananada Bazara ask somebody whether the main temple is open at the moment. If that is open you enter the ‘Kurma Bedha’, the inner premises of the temple, through the Ananda Bazara and go inside the main temple through the right side entrance to reach near the Garuda Stambha. There you can get clear glimpse of the trinity. Pay your homage and go ahead. If it is a ‘Sahanamela’ time you can go up to the inner sanctum. At other times, you will be checked at the entrance of the Garbha gruha. However, from this place too you can get a clear glimpse of the three idols. In normal time, employ one of your group members to buy the ‘Paramanika’ ticket on lieu of which you can get entry to the inner sanctum.

In case, you enquired at the Ananda Bazara and got the information that the main temple is not open for now, first have a full belly anna bhoga. I have heard, the anna bhoga and Lord Jagannath are same. I mean swallowing of the anna bhoga itself is like having darshan of Lord Jagannath. So have the food with satisfaction and then pay your visit to the Lord. You might be thinking, we should visit the Lord in empty stomach. But don’t worry. It is His offerring only, so there is no harm.

Jay Jagannath.