Shree Jagannath Temple is an ancient and one of the most sacred Hindu shrine in Puri, Odisha on the eastern coast of India. It was rebuilt in 12th century by Anantavarman Choda Ganga of Eastern Ganga dynasty on the site of an earlier temple. It is dedicated to Shree Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu. In this shrine, Jagannath is worshipped along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the images of three deities in Jagannath Temple are made of wood and are ceremoniously replaced every twelve or nineteen years by an exact replica. The shrine is particularly known for the world famous Ratha Yatra or chariot festival in which the deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decoarted temple cars.
Every year in the Hindu month of jyeshtha (May-June in gregorian calender) on Purnima (full moon day), the deities are brought out from the temple in a procession from the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) to the Snana Bedi (bathing platform). They are then ceremonially bathed with 108 pots of purified cold water and decorated for a public audience. After this royal ceremony the three deities are traditionally believed to fall sick and they stay away from the public view for 15 days. They stay in self isolation in a seperate room to recuperate under the care of temple servitors. During this period known as 'Anasara' the Gods cannot be seen by devotees. In their place three pata chitra paintings are displayed for devotees. It is said that with the Ayurvedic medication ('pnachan') administered by the Raj Vaidya the Gods recover in a fortnight and resume giving an audience to their devotees.
Self-quarantine or home isolation amid Coronavirus outbreak might sound scary to some of us. But there is no need to be scared of these phrases. This is something which is being practised in Lord Jagannath temple since ages.
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