"Jagannatha swami Nayana patha Gami Bhaba tume."
 
This shloka of Adi Shankaracharya tells it that he is the supreme lord, the all mighty all-powerful nirakara Brahma, the God of world. He is the loving kanha of mother Yashoda, the platonic lover of Radha., Lord Ganesh for Sri Chaitanya Deva. He is the PATITAPABANA for his great devotee Dashia Bauri and Bhakta Salabega. He the almighty has appeared to write the incomplete stanzas of The great GEETA GOVINDA for his Devotee poet Jayadeva. He is the great lord of world at Shrimandira puri. Having reign of world in his hand he is called as Dinabandhu. So here is a small effort of www.orissacentral.com to tell something about him to his devotees. Yes we are talking about Lord Jagannath the great who has always remained as a great identity for Oriyas.  Lord Jagannath shown many examples of his love towards his devotees so we are here writing a few of those stories. Dashia Bauri

DASHIA BAURI was born in the Baligaon of Puri district. He was a great devotee of lord Jagannatha. Though he was born in a lower caste like Bauri but all times he was remaining busy in offering prayers to lord jagannatha.he was such a devotee that he was even forgetting his foods and drinks in the devotion of lord Jagannatha.In a true sense he was attached to lord Jagannatha by mind heart and soul. For him he was the everything of world. He had a very poor income.
 
One a great incident happened and this is a teaching on how Lord helps a devotee indirectly. One afternoon, Devotee Dashia Bauri was intensely involved in the writing of a Jagannatha Bhajan. Suddenly his wife came to him and told him with some anger that, "You see! You are always busy in the divine service of Lord Jagannatha and neglecting the household necessities. I have not taken any food for last four-five days. How can I survive?" After, listening this Dashia Bauri became surprised and asked, "Everyday, you are giving me the food at right time and why are you telling that you have not taken the food for last few days?" Wife answered, "You are very innocent! I am preparing food for you from the rice which you brought five to six days back by keeping my stomach empty" After hearing the sacrifice, Dashia Bauri felt that he is not able to fulfill his duty towards her as her husband and he suggested his wife that if she wanted she could marry someone again. After listening such a statement from her husband, wife asked, "Is this what Lord Jagannatha taught him?" And she told, "Jagannatha may be your Lord, but my lord is you. I can tolerate any pain and even die at your feet."

 At that moment suddenly they heard that a person is calling from outside,  "Dasia! Dashia!" Dashia Bauri went outside the hut and found the village leader. The village leader immediately gave him rice and a few kaudies (which was used in those days as money) and requested him to weave a new dress for him. The village leader also told him his intention behind the new dress. He revealed that he desired to visit Puri the land of lord jagannatha during the annual car festival. After knowing this Dashia Bauri could not check his ecstasy and asked like a child to the village leader that, whether he could give some more kaudies to him so that his desire to visit Puri during car festival could also be fulfilled. The village leader happily agreed and offered, "Why you want to visit alone then? Come with me so that you will not face any trouble in the journey to Puri." Thus Dashia happily accepted the offer and promised to prepare the dress for the Village leader for car festival, which was only two-three days away.

Dashia Bauri then came to his wife and told with joy, "See the mercy of Jagannatha! You were asking for rice and the money. And Lord Himself came and gave me the things that you were demanding." She was surprised and asked where Jagannatha came. I saw only the village leader who came and gave these things to you. Dashia replied, "It is not so easy to understand him. The Lord's helps sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly. The Lord actually sent you the rice and kaudies through our village leader. The Lord's mercy and activities are all inconceivable."

 At last the day came and Dashia reached at the Puri. But he was not able to enter to temple as he was from lower caste. Then finally standing at lions gate the only offering that he had the coconut he offered o lord jagannatha and surprisingly lord jagannatha himself accepted it from his great devotee.  And from that day the name and devotions of Dashia Bauri and love of lord Jagannatha for his devotees turned to a great story. King Ramachandradev And Lord Jagannath
(The Story Of Patitapabana)

Orissa and  in the past has faced the attacks of Muslim rulers for many times. During the 18 th century King Ramachandra Dev was the then ruler of Orissa. But all times Orissa was experiencing the terror of attacks from the powerful subedar Taki Khan.

Taki Khan by nature was an anti Hindu natured person. So he was always with intention to demolish the temple of lord Jagannatha. At that time few parts of Orissa was also under the regime of the Muslims. So king Ramachandra Dev was worried for the safety of Lord Jagannatha's temple.

Finally according to the conditions of Taki Khan king Ramachandra Dev accepted Islam and got married to Taki Khan's sister. Thus though Lord Jagannatha's temple got secured but king Ramachandra dev lost his rights to enter into the temple and finally Lord jagannatha's idle was constructed near lion's door for him. And the idle was named as Patitapabana. And till today it is prevailing there the main idea of constructing that ideal was that people who are unable to see lord Jagannatha in side his temple will be able to see him there.

King Divya Singha DevAnd Lord Jagannatha  

It was 12.07.1972 and it was the famous Car festival of that year. Prior to this the managerial aspects of Srimandira (Lord jagannatha's temple is called as Srimandira) were under direct control of the Gajapati king who is regarded the first servant of the lord Jagannatha. But prior to this year due to the improper managements of the Gajapati king the Government of Orissa removed the power from them to get involved with the managerial aspects of Srimandira and appointed an A.D.M. (Additional District Magistrate) to look into the matters of Srimandira Management.

Gajapati remained silent with this decision of Government of Orissa. The A.D.M. was a very punctual person but he had a wrong notion that man is arranging this car festival for the lord so to complete it in a proper manner the lord should come to the chariots in proper time. Within 10A.M. of that morning lord Balabhadra and Goddess Maa Suvadra came to their chariots according to the schedule. But when it was the case of lord Jagannatha it became impossible to bring him to the chariot. Because the more the people were trying more they were becoming unsuccessful to do that wanted. Those who tried to use force they got injured. Finally the people there including the ministers and the chief minister got harassed, as they had no way out. But at very moment king Divya Singh Dev was present there as he had to perform the cleaning ceremonies there in the chariots. He finished his job in the chariots of Lord Balabhadra and Maa Suvadra and came towards the chariot of lord Jagannatha but till then people were not able to lift lord Jagannatha to his chariot so he started weeping the king in his weeping voice told that "oh, lord this festival is yours and we all are just the facilitators please pardon on us please move to the chariot." And surprisingly this few words of the Gajapati king Divya Singh Dev created an astonishing result and the idle, which was unimaginably heavy before, became as light as a flower. And finally the lord went to the chariot probably on his smiles he was giving the message to the people and Government of Orissa that "My servant is every thing for me I will only listen to him not to anybody other else and I am not guided by anybody other, rather all the others of the world are guided by me as I am the all mighty.           
Great Devotee Salabega

Great Salabega was born in a Muslim family and was the son of Lalbega. Lalbega was a leading warrior in the Mughal army and on those days the Mughals were always trying to capture the Srimandira to demolish it. Once when the Mughal warrior lalbega was returning from puri near Danda mukundapur locality of puri he found a Beautiful young Brahmin widow returning from the Bathing Ghats. So he kidnapped the lady and finally by compulsion married her who latterly came to be known as Fatima Biwi. Salabega was the son of fatima Biwi and lalbega. From his child hood he listened about lord Jagannatha, Lord Krishna, And lord Rama from her mother. He got attracted towards them.

After the death of Fatima biwi when Salabega was a kid once he got stricken by a severe disease and all the doctors left the hope that Salabega can survive. One day when he was on bed he heard the Bhajan's and thought the great lord Jagannatha who is the god of world will be able to cure me. Then he started praying lord Jagannatha and finally got cured. After that he became a great devotee of lord Jagannatha. But for that reason he was discarded from his own house. Then he started moving here to there uttering the name of lord Jagannatha all times. Finally he went to Puri. It was the car festival time and the chariots were getting pulled Salabega was not allowed to see lord Jagannatha on the chariot as he was the son of a Muslim. So resided on a house which is very nearer to Srimandira. When the chariot of lord Jagannatha came nearer to his house he started weeping. Suddenly the chariot stopped there. And Salabega watched the God happily and there after all the things were made known to the priests. Then he got the respects of a great devotee by the blessings of the lord Jagannatha.Lord Jagannatha And Saint Balaram Das.

Saint Balaram Das was a great devotee of lord jagannatha and he was such a lover of lord jagannatha that he was just feeling it that beyond jagannatha there is nothing other in this world. Once the famous saint who was the writer of Dandi Ramayan (Ramayan in Oriya language) got an idea to make a visit to lanka, which according to the Ramayan was once the capital city of the demon Ravana. He told this to lord Jagannatha and at the time of night he went to visit lanka along with lord Jagannatha. Jagannatha during that visit   told him to hold his gold jhari(A typical ornament of gold). After finishing their visit Balarama das forgot to return the ornament. But at the morning the priests found it that the ornament has been stolen by somebody and when Saint Balaram Das came with that he was accused as the thief and was taken to the court of the Gajapati king. But latter Gajapati found it by taking proves from lord jagannatha that Balaram Das is not guilty and he is a great devotee of lord Jagannatha. So he paid due respect to him.

But Balarama Das was in love with a prostitute called jamuna Bai. When once he was with The prostitute he found it that it was the very day of car festival and the chariots are going to be pulled. He ran to the Chariot of lord jagannatha but the priests found it that he has just returned from the prostitute and the turmerics and the lipsticks of the prostitute are still prevailing there on him. So the priests beated them and he returned.
With tears on his eye Balaram das went near the sea(Bay of Bengal) and   there he prepared three chariots on sand for the two brothers Jagannatha,Balabhadra  and their sister Goddess Suvadra.Praying with tears he told it that if you are truly my God then the chariots there will not move and you three will come to this sand chariots of mine.

Suddenly all the three chariots of the car festival stopped and  after a huge effort the people were unable to move them even one inch. Everybody got worried so finally the Gajapati king got the message and he along with the priests on fasting started praying to lord Jagannatha. Then Lord jagannatha appeared on his dreams and told them everything and told that I cannot tolerate the insults of my devotees. If you pay proper respect to Balaram das and will beg pardon to him then only along with him I will return to the chariots made by you. The king did accordingly and the chariots started moving along with his great devotee Balaram Das.Guru Nanak And Lord Jagannath

Guru Nanak came to Puri at the last phase of his visits, but the priests did not allowed him as he was dressed like a Muslim. They told that they can not allow a person who is dressed like a Muslim. Nanak felt insulted at the lion's door he prayed lord Jagannatha with tears and suddenly Lord Jagannatha appeared on his palms. He saw him and went to place near the sea. The other people got astonished with this and the considered saint Nanak as a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha.  

 It was evening and everybody asked Nanak that whether he is going to perform the evening prayers to lord jagannatha or not? Nanak nodded his head and told I am going to do Arati (A Special ritual performed near all Hindu deities)    to him. Suddenly he raised his hands and the instruments used for Arati appeared on his hands. Then when one after another when he started performing the ritual for the three gods the people also got astonished that they clearly saw the three Gods. Everybody started praising him but few bad people started spreading the rumour that Guru Nanak is a tantrik and is using mesmorism on people.

Then Guru Nanak told see every evening we are discussing about lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra, And Goddess Subhadra are coming here and can show them to you. Few days passed within this and people started disbeliefing him but once on one evening he showed a black man,along with a white man and a beautiful lady. Then when he ran to catch them they jumped to a well near by and vanished. And people trusted Guru Nanak.Till today that place is also seen at the Bauli Matha(The hut of hermit) of Puri.

Puri The Land Of Lord Jagannath

 Puri the holy and healthy city of Orissa is situated adjacent to Bay of Bengal. The city is the district head quarter of the district Puri. Though previously the districts like khurdda and Nayagarh were coming under it but now  theyare different district. Being the city of Lord Jagannath it is called as the cultural capital of  Orissa. It is holy and beautiful city of Orissa.

The ancient name of this town was Charitra mentioned by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang as Che-li-ta-lo. But the restoration of the word Che-li-ta-lo as Charitra and its identification with the town of Puri is open to doubt. The importance of the town as a seat of Vaisnavism increased when Chodaganga Deva constructed the temple of Purusottama Jagannath and installed the image of the deities. Thereafter, it become famous as the abode of Purusottama and was popularity called Purusottama Kshetra.

The name Purusottama Kshetra was also for sometime Known as Purusottama Puri and as the word Purusottama Kshetra was contracted into Kshetra or Chhatra so also Purusottama Puri was expressed in the contracted from Puri. In fact, in many early British record this town is known by the name Pooree. In the modern times Puri has become the most popular of all the other names.  It is a beautiful city being very adjacent to the sea and it is also a beautiful city with a healthy climate