Just as the moon is supreme among all the constellations and the ocean is supreme among all the reservoirs similarly Jagannath-Puri is the supreme pilgrimage among all the pilgrimages. Jagannath-Puri gives liberation and destroys all sins. In this famous place are situated the idols of omnipresent, the supreme soul and the supreme among men Lord Krishna. Balaram and Subhadra along with the other deities like Lord Brahma, Indra, Rudra, Agni etc, In this sacred area were situated the celestial supernatural beings like 'Gandharva', 'Apsara', 'Ancestors', sacred rivers etc.

The present temple of Jagannath-Puri was constructed around the year 1100 by the king of Kalinga, 'Chandganga' of 'Gang' dynasty. There are more than 100 temples around the temple of Jagannath-Puri in which idols of many deities like Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva are established. The grand temple of Jagannath-Puri which is 192 feet high and which consists of Vishnu chakra and flag fluttering on its top has the idols of Lord Jagannath (Krishna), Balaram and Subhadra.

The chief attraction of the Jagannath-Puri is the 'Rath Yatra' which is held in the Hindu month of 'Ashadh' and on the 2nd day of the bright moon phase. Lakhs of people come from all corners of India on this day and worship Lord Jagannath with a sense of equality and forgetting about the caste system.

GREATNESS: There was a king named 'Indrayumna' in the era of 'Satya'. The king who possessed all the qualities, one day had a desire of worshipping Lord Vishnu. He thought as to which pilgrimage should he visit to worship Lord Vishnu. He came to this pilgrimage which is very famous and which bestows liberation and started worshipping Lord Vishnu.

Later on he constructed a grand temple and established the idols of Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra in it. With the blessings of Lord Krishna, he achieved salvation.

The shape of Jagannath-Puri is like a conch. To the west-end of this temple, the idol of Lord Shiva is installed and towards the east end, the idol of Lord Neelkanth is installed. The most sacred portion which lies between both these ends belongs to Lord Jagannath. At this very place is established a 'linga' of 'Kapal-mochan', the worship of which frees a man from the sins of 'Brahmahatya' (killing of a Brahmin).

Temple of 'Vimla-devi' is situated at one end of this area. One who worships her with full devotion gets all his desires fulfilled and attains salvation.

This pilgrimage of Jagannath-Puri is the 'king of all the pilgrimages' in the three worlds. The residents of Jagannath-Puri do not have to bear the sorrows of birth, old age and death. The mere touch of the water of 'Rauhin-Kunda' gives liberation from all the bondage. It is believed that after the submergence of the world during the dissolution period, the water recedes back to this very 'Rauhin-Kunda'.

Goddess Vimla's idol is situated between 'Kamakhya' and 'Kshetrapal'. Towards the south of Lord Purushottam (Jagannath) is established the embodiment of 'Brahma', lord Narsimha. Having a 'darshan' of Lord Narsimha destroys all the sins of a man and helps him to unite with the 'Brahma' (supreme almighty).

The inner altar of the temple is protected by eight powers (shakti). In the roots of the Banyan tree is the Goddess 'Mangla', Goddess 'Vimla' is situated in the west, towards the back side of 'conch' is situated goddess 'Sarva mangla', towards the north is situated the idol of goddess 'Ardhanashini' and Goddess 'Lamba', towards the south is situated the idol of 'Kaal- Ratri', towards the east is situated the idol of Goddess 'Marichika' and towards the back side of Goddess 'Kaal Ratri' is situated the idol of Goddess 'Chanda Roop'.

Having 'darshan' of all these eight Goddesses by a man destroys all his sins.

Seeing the eight forms of 'Rudrani' (Parvati), Lord Shiva too appears in eight forms and worships Lord Jagannath. The eight forms of Shiva are 'Kapal Mochan', Kshetrapal', 'Yameshwar', 'Markandeshwar', 'Ishan', 'Bileshwar', 'Neelkanth' and 'Vateshwar' which is situated in the roots of the Banyan tree. A man attains liberation if he worships all these eight lingas.

RATH YATRA: On the second day of the bright phase in the Hindu month of 'Ashaadh' and at the time of sunrise a request is made to Lord Jagannath to travel from the premise of the temple to 'Gundiya-Mandap' according to his own instruction given to King Indrayumna in the ancient time. "Let all the ten directions become pure by your grace and all the creatures get liberated. You have taken this incarnation with a desire of compassion for all the human beings. So please arrive by keeping your feet on the earth."

After this formal request people chant the mantras in a loud voice and sing auspicious songs in his praise. On both the sides fans having golden sticks are moved slowly. The whole atmosphere is filled up with the fragrance of incense sticks and 'Dhoop'. Various musical instruments like 'Jhanjh', 'Kartal', 'Veena', 'Venu' and 'Madhurika' are played during this 'Vijay Yatra'.

In this way the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas carry Shri Krishna, Balrama and Subhadra on the chariot. The three deities are given rest on the way by offering them cushions. They do worship by the means of various rites and rituals and they are re-estabished on the chariots and the Yatra continues.

People who see this 'Yatra' attain to the abode of Lord Krishna. The journey of the chariots in which Shri Krishna, Balbhadra and Subhadra are seated towards the great altar has the power of destroying the accumulated sins of crores of lives of a man.

A man who chants the name of Krishna does not have to face the pains of being in a mother's womb.

A man who winnows the deities with the fans, bouquet of flowers or clothes attains the abode of 'Brahma'.

A man who circumambulates the chariot by chanting the mantras of 'Shastranam' attains the abode of Lord Vishnu i.e. 'Vaikuntha'.

A man who makes donations in the name of Lord Krishna during the course of the journey gives him non-diminishing virtues.

In this way, Shri Krishna reaches the city of Gundicha and he takes rest for seven days at the bank of 'Vindu Teertha' as Lord Krishna had promised King Indrayumna in the ancient time that he would reside at Gundicha each year. He had also promised that his presence would mean the presence of all the pilgrimages.

He said: "A man who takes bath in the holy water of the pilgrimage and have my 'darshan' and also of Balaram and Subhadra will ultimately unite with me."

The temple which is situated at the bank of the above mentioned reservoir, near the temple of Lord Vishnu and between the temples of Neelkanth and Narsimha is considered as very sacred. A man who performs Shraadh here liberates his 100 generations.

If the arrival of Lord Jagannath at the 'Indardyumna-Sarovar' falls on the Hindu month of 'Ashaadh' and on the fifth day of the bright phase and also in the constellation of 'Magha'- all these above mentioned combinations are considered to be a very auspicious and rare phenomena.

A 'Shraadh' performed on this occasion give non-diminishing virtues to the ancestors. If a man worships the idol of Jagannath by keeping a burning lamp in front of the idol without uttering a word for seven days and preventing the lamp from going off and at last doing the worship of the lamp itself on the eighth day, helps him attain 'Dharma' (religion), 'Artha' (wealth), Kama (all the desires) and Moksha (salvation).

On the ninth day of the bright phase of the moon, the chariot begins its return journey in the early morning. The return journey of Lord Jagannath is as unique as the earlier journey is important. Both of these journeys give salvation.

This Rath Yatra which continues for nine days begins from the 'Gundicha-Mandap' and returns back after the completion of the journey.

A man who has the 'darshan' of the deities travelling in the chariots gets liberated.

Similarly a man who either studies the narration of this journey or listens to it daily in the morning attains the abode of Lord Vishnu.