Jagannath Puri: A Temple of Mysteries

Jagannath Temple, located in Puri, Odisha, is one of the vastly worshipped sites for Hindu pilgrimage with millions of devotees visiting it every year. Well known for the Rath Yatra conducted every year at the temple, there are many mysteries and intriguing wonders that baffle scientists, historians, and devotees alike inside the sacred precincts. Here are some lesser-known facts about Jagannath Puri, which indeed make an account for wondrous divinity.
One of the most intriguing phenomena associated with the temple is the way the flag unfurling atop it behaves. Generally, a flag would fly with the wind; here, though, the flag appears to fly against the wind! Adding to the mystery, a priest climbs up the 214-foot stairway to change the flag every day, a custom that has not been broken for over 800 years. The story has it that if this ritual ceases for a single day, the temple remains barred for 18 years.
Another architectural wonder of the temple is the Sudarshan Chakra, an iron wheel placed atop the temple. Fascinatingly, it appears to be staring at you regardless of where in Puri you may find yourself. The engineering behind this illusion continues to remain unexplained and adds an air of mystery to this holy temple.
The temple is located near the Bay of Bengal, yet once you set foot inside the premises, an eerie silence envelops the ocean outside. Once outside the temple, the thunderous sound of waves would be upon your ears again. Some scholars largely attribute the sounds to the unique architectural design of the temple, while others prefer to call it a divine phenomenon.
Jagannath Temple, mighty in size and height, does not cast a shadow at any time of the day. This architectural anomaly has continued to baffle researchers for centuries, and many devout pilgrims see it as a mark of the temple's spiritual power.
The Mahaprasad of the temple is prepared through an ancient and unique cooking process. A traditional cooking stove lit with firewood is involved with seven clay pots stacked one over the other. Strangely, the dish in the topmost pot gets cooked first, followed by that in the lower pots. Also, this kitchen is the largest in the world, capable of feeding over 100,000 people in a single day. Another interesting fact is that, irrespective of the number of devotees every day, not a single grain of Mahaprasad ever goes waste.
Nabakalebara is a secret ritual conducted every 12 to 19 years whenever the wooden idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra undergo renewal. The secrets and details accompanying their transfer of the sanctified 'Brahma Padartha' (a divine energy or object) from the old to the new images are handed down over the generations without any disclosure. The event is carried out entirely in darkness while the priests performing the ceremony act blindfolded. The appearance of this sacred element remains a mystery as the secret has continued through the generations with a very strict embargo against any disclosure.
Normal coastal winds blow from the sea towards the land during the day, but flow back from land to sea in night. But in Puri, just the opposite happens. The phenomenon remains unexplained in terms of atmospheric behavior.
The Rath Yatra is one of the grandest annual religious processions, where thousands of people pull gigantic chariots, taking the deities along with them. There have been several instances where, while the devotees pulled the chariot with all their might, it seemed to move of its own accord. This is believed by many as divine intervention.
Unlike most temples and tall structures, no birds or airplanes fly over the Jagannath Temple. Some people think that it is because of some invisible force, some others say that it is because of the architectural or geographical reasons.
The Mahaprasad here does not go to waste like in other temples, where it is usually thrown after the prasad is offered. It is believed that however much food is prepared, the amount is sufficient to feed all devotees present. A miraculous event, so many people believe.
The mysteries of the Jagannath Temple have fascinated the devotees and scholars alike and would continue to capture those who are drawn toward its inner sanctum, whether with a spiritual eye or a scientific one. These unexplained phenomena would, therefore, go on attracting millions, making the temple not just another site of worship but also leaving behind an enigma that has been living through time without answers to most of its questions.