The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-12-25
JUGGERNAUTS CHARIOT.
4 Sacred Vehicle Known as the Largest ,
Its Kind In the World.

Sacred Vehicle Known "a the Largest Of
Its Kind In the World.
Juggernaut is variously pronounced as
Jaggernath, Jumerguth and Jagannatha,
the last being the Sanscrit and probable
root of the many words of the same gen.
eral construction, all of which signify
Lord of the World;" really one of the
names OF Vishnu, the second god Of
the Hindoo triad. Juggernaut besides
being the name Of the idol representing
Vishnu, is also the name of town or
city in the Province Orissa in Bengal,
British India, the city having taken its
name from Juggernauts car and idol
enshrined within it's walls. The ground
upon which the town is built is consid-
cred holy, and is held by the communi-
ty as common property, no tribute be-
ing exacted from any resident, other
than that he perform certain rites in
and about the temple, thus proving
himself Hindoo and believer in Wish
nu in his manifold forms The city
Of Juggernaut has about $4,000 in
habitantS, but as there is religious
festival held there once every month,
borders falls but little short of $50, 900.
The principal streets of the city runs
north and south for two and three
fourths m..es-both sides being formed
by an almost unbroken line of Hindoo
temples, all OF which are overshadowed
by tho groas Temple of Juggernaut,
which stands at the southern extremity
Of tho main street. The great temple"
rises to a height OF nearly 500 feet and
is surmounted by a bronze-covered dome,
the point Of which reaches 100 feet
higher. The wall which surrounds this
gigantic pagoda is square with sides
$50 foot in length; it is IS feet thick at
the bottom and nearly 40 feet high. Be-
sides the great pagoda in honor of Jug
gernaut. tho enclosure contains temples
and idols dedicated to dozens of the
other lIindoo deities. All of the idols
are monstrous in design and frightful.
looking in appearance. That to Krishna
(another name for Juggernaut) is paint
ed blue and has a face hideous in the
extreme.
Besides Krishna or Juggernaut two
others of tho idols are provided with i'm.
mense cars or chariots The car of Jug
gernaut is thought to be the largest
wheeled vehicle that has yet been made
in tho world. 1t is 34H feet square at
the base and 1917 feet in height, mount
ed on 1G wheels, each GN feet in dame
ter. Once each year, at the great an.
nual March festival, Juggernaut mount
ed on the apex of his stately car, is taxi
en- to q house about X miles in the
country, whore female image is sup
posed to be waiting to become his bri:le.
The removal of the chariot from tho
shrine to the country house being pro-
ceeding holy in the extreme, no ami
mails are used for drawing tho chariot,
men, women and children only being
permitted to perform such righteous
services On this occasion either five or
seven long ropes are attached to tho
front Of the car. the middle one having
been twisted from hair cut from the
heads Of female devotees. 1t was long
q cherished belief in Christian coun-
tries that many pilgrims sacrificed them
selves upon these gala days, by falling
prone before tho car and allowing the
ponderous wheels to pass Ger their
bodies. 1t is probable that the accounts
OF these self-sacriiices have been too
highly colored, and that the great loss
Of lifo upon such occasions, when thou
sands OF frantic dovotees are congre-
gated together, comes moro from acct
dent than from a desire to start for
Heaven from directly underneath the
wheels OF tho holy car.-St Louis Re-