7 mysteries of the Puri Jagannath temple that are still unresolved

The mysteries of the Puri Jagannath temple have intrigued people for centuries. Built in the 12th century in the state of Odisha, the temple, devoted to the worship of Lord Jagannath, is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India. The temple itself is also known for having strange occurrences, which believers say are from the divine.

Mysteries of the Puri Jagannath temple that continue to puzzle visitors

One of the famous mysteries of the Puri Jagannath temple is the holy flag that flies atop the temple. Every morning, a priest ascends the temple's huge dome of almost 214 feet without any harness. Till now, no one has been injured while changing the flag. This ceremony has been going on unbroken for decades now. And you will be surprised to know that this tradition even continued during COVID. The holy flag is said to always flutter against the wind direction.

Above the temple is the huge Sudarshan Chakra. It is a large wheel, which is also an emblem of protection. Tourists usually comment about how the Chakra seems to always face them, no matter from which position they are seeing the temple in Puri. This amazing sight has always fascinated many tourists and engineers. Devotees believe that the chakra has been made by God himself to protect his devotees.

Another of the wonders associated with the temple of Puri Jagannath is the idea that neither birds nor planes fly straight above the shrine. It is believed that the skies surrounding the temple stay exceptionally clear even though there is nothing blocking the way. This phenomenon is said to be due to the spiritual power of the temple.

The temple’s Mahaprasad is cooked in conventional earthen utensils. As per the temple’s custom, there is sufficient food available for all the devotees visiting the place. There is never a scarcity or excess of food irrespective of the number of devotees attending. The cooking process too is equally unique.

The clay pots are stacked over the fire, each pot on top of another one. Surprisingly, the food in the uppermost pot gets cooked first. The food is always served through a small pathway. People believe the prasad shouldn't be touched even by the sunlight. Being a part of the Chardham, people also believe that Lord Vishnu comes here daily to have the Mahaprasad.

The Singhadwara or Lion Gate is the primary entrance to the temple. When people are outside the gates, they can clearly hear the sounds of the waves. But once they cross the gates, the sound almost vanishes. The unusual acoustics in the temple further add to its mystique. It is believed that this phenomenon symbolizes leaving the noise behind the gates.

Navakalevara ritual is one of the most sacred rituals of the temple. It occurs once in every 12 to 19 years and includes the replacement of wooden idols of deities. A sacred neem tree is chosen from a confidential place following the age-old tradition. In the course of the ritual, which is called Brahma Parivartan, the spiritual energy is secretly transferred from the old deities to the new ones.

The old deities are subsequently buried in the temple compound. It is believed for a long time that any person seeing this act will die within a year. That's why the Daitapatis generally use a blindfold during this act. Also, in this ritual, the Brahma Padartha are supposed to be transferred to the new idol, which is also believed to be Lord Krishna's heart.

One of the many mysteries of the Puri Jagannath temple is the fact that its central tower, the Shikhara, does not cast any shadow, regardless of the time of day. It is yet to be determined whether this is due to the architectural structure or some supernatural power.