Orissa Temples History

The temples of Orissa exhibit a majestic grandeur. An Orissan temple (deul) usually consists of a sanctum, one or several front porches (jagamohana) usually with pyramidal roofs, a dancing hall (nata mandir) and a hall of offerings (bhog mandir).

The Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar boasts of a 150 foot high deul while the Jagannath Temple at Puri is about 200 feet high and it dominates the skyline of the town. Only a portion of the Sun Temple at Konark, the largest of the temples of the Golden triangle exists today, and it is still staggering in size. It stands out as a masterpiece in Orissan architecture.

The landscape of Orissa is dotted with a large number of temples. The temples of Orissa conform to the Indo Aryan Nagara style of architecture, with distinctive features specific to this region. The best known of these are the Lingaraja temple at Bhubaneshwar, Jagannath Temple at Puri and the Sun Temple at Konark.

There are two famous temples in Orissa

1.Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneshwar

Lingaraj Temple is a temple of the Hindu god Harihara and is one of the oldest temples of the Temple City Bhubaneswar, a revered pilgrimage center and the capital of the state of Orissa.

The temple of Lingaraja, the biggest of all at Bhubaneswar is located within a spacious compound wall of latterite measuring 520 feet by 465 feet. The wall is 7 feet 6 inches thick and surmounted by a plain slant coping. 

2.Jagannath Temple at Puri

The celebrated Temple of Lord Jagannath now existent at Puri was constructed by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev in 12th century A.D. The wooden images of Jagannath Balabhadra and Subhadra were installed in that temple. The management of the temple continued under the Hindu rulers till 1558, when the State of Orissa was conquered by the Afghan Nawab of Bengal and the temple was attacked by the Afgan General ‘Kalapahad’. Then, an independent Khurda kingdom was established by Ramachandra Deb, who assumed the management of the temple. He consecrated the temple and reinstalled the deities. Raja Mansingh, a General of the Mughal King Akbar, defeated the Afghans and annexed Orissa in to the Mughal dominion. It remained under the Mughals till 1751 A.D. Till 1760, the temple continued under the Khurda Raja, who was paying tribute to Mughals and Marhattas. Marhattas took up direct management of the temple till 1803. The Britishers annexed Orissa into British empire in 1803 and allowed Puri Raja to manage the temple. The position continued till 1947.

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Story of Lord Vithal at Pandarpur

Story of Lord Vithal at Pandarpur 

Pandharpur is known as the southern Kashi of India. This is a very famous and very holy place. It is visited by lakhs of devotees from all over the country. People from all religions and caste visit this shrine and the best part is all are allowed to enter the sanctum and touch the holy feet of the deity. Pandharpur is the only place in the country, where the devotee can touch the idol directly.

It is said that the devotee Pundalik founded Pandharpur. His father Janudeva and mother Satyavati lived in a thick forest called Dandirvan.
Pundalik was a devoted son but soon after his marriage he began to ill-treat his parents. To escape from their misery, the parents decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi.

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Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai (Bombay)

The Haji Ali Dargah (Urdu: حاجی علی درگاہ , Marathi: हाजी अली दर्गा, हाजी अली दरगाह, Gujarati: હાજી અલી દરગાહ) is a mosque and dargah (tomb) located on an islet off the coast of Worli in Southern part of Mumbai. Lying as it does in the heart of the city, the dargah is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Mumbai.
This mosque houses the tomb of Hazarath Haji Ali, a Muslim Sufi saint. There are a number of stories related to the life of Hazarath Haji Ali and about how this tomb came to be built. One version claims that Haji Ali was a rich local merchant who gave up his worldly possessions after a visit to Mecca and took to meditating. Another story is that Haji Ali was an Afghan mystic who lived and meditated, on the island on which the shrine now stands. It is said that he left instructions that after death, his body should be put in a casket and should be cast off into the sea off the shore of what is today Pakistan. Legend has it that the casket with his body in it emerged in perfect condition in the place where the tomb is today. According to another story Haji Ali was on a pilgrimage to Mecca and he died on the way. His body was put into a casket and disposed off at sea. It is said that this casket floated back to Mumbai; though some believe that Haji Ali drowned at the spot where the dargah is today.

The dargah was built in 1431. The tomb is on a small islet just off the coast of Worli in Mumbai. It is about 500 yards from the coast, in the middle in the sea. There is a walkway that connects the shrine to the shore. This walkway is accessible only in low tide. During high tide and in the monsoons the shrine is completely cut off from the shore. The structure of the dargah is like other Muslim mausoleums in India. The structure is white with domes and minarets like the Mughal architecture. The dargah is a renowned pilgrimage site among the Muslims. Non-Muslims are also allowed to visit the dargah. Inside the dargah the tomb is covered with a red and green brocade chaddar(sheet) and an exquisite silver frame supports it. The tomb has a courtyard that normally has a festive atmosphere. The main hall has pillars on which the ninety-nine names of Allah are written. The whitewashed structure attracts visitors in large numbers on Thursdays and Fridays. This shrine is thronged by Hindu and Muslim devotees alike.