Jagannath Temple Ranchi
The Jagannath Temple Ranchi was built in 1691. It was constructed by the great King Thakur Anish Nath Shahdeo of Barkagarh. A marble slab outside the sanctum informs about the founder and the foundation year of the temple. It is believed that the Jagannath Temple was constructed to revive the faith and belief of the tribal in Hindu religion. As during the 17th century, many people started leaving Hinduism, the believers of Hinduism started erecting temples like the Jagannath Temple to retain the identity of Hinduism. The temple collapsed in 1990. Then Bihar government renovated the temple and now it has regained its lost glory. The original shrine was built in the form of a fort.
The worship of Lord Jagannath at this
temple is quite different from other Hindu temple. Here the priests are known
as Panda. Devotees can bath in the river and then worship the deity. The
worship starts with offering flowers and food to Lord Jagannath. At afternoon,
the deities are offered lunch, known as Bhog. The evening aarti of the
Jagannath Temple is serene. Similar to the Puri Rath Yatra, an annual fair cum rath yatra is held at this temple in the month of ashadha, attracting thousands of tribal and non-tribal devotees.
How to reach
By Air: Instead of Bokaro Steel City you can a get flight to Ranchi Airport on regular basis.
By Train: There
are regular trains from other major cities of the country to Bokaro Steel City.
Railway Station: Chandrapura Junction (CRP), Bokaro Thermal (BKRO), Bokaro Steel City
(BKSC).
By Bus: Bokaro
Steel City is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular
buses.
Bus Station: Bokaro.
History
As per Hindu mythology,
Lord Jagannath is considered to be the Lord of the Universe. The worship of
Lord Jagannath and the foundation of the temple dates back to the glorious past
of Vaishnavism and its founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The deities are not very
simple here, without much jewellery and clothes.The deity of Lord Hanumana is
present inside the gates of the temple, symbolizing to be a guard of the Lord,
while outside the temple you can find the statue of Garuda.
Architecture
The Jagannath Temple Ranchi
is almost a replica of the famous Jagannath Temple of Puri, Orissa. However, it
is comparatively smaller in size than the Jagannath Temple of Puri. Jagannatha,
Balbhadra and Subhadra are worshiped at the temple. All the deities are
engraved out of Neem wood. The temple is exquisite with intricate carvings. The
temple is colourful with unique blend of colours. The interiors of the temple
are in the form of a fort. The Jagannath Temple Ranchi has been built in the
Kalinga style of architecture. There is a tall sanctum within the temple. The
temple also consists of a Jagamohana and Nata Mandir. The temple is especially
important for devotees belonging to the Vaishnavism cult.
