The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-21
JueeERNAuT's CHARIOT.
A Sacred vehislc Known aa tho Largest or
Its Kind In tho World.

A Sacred yehi,lc known az tho Lnrgcpt or
It's Kind In tho World.
Juggernaut is variously pronounced as
Jaggernath, JumorgIth and j agannatha,
tho last being the Sanscrit and probable
root OF the many words of tho same gen.
eral construction, all of which signify
Lord OF tho World;" really ono of tho
names OF Vishnu, tho second god of
tho llindoo triad. Juggernaut, besides
being the namo of the idol representing
Vlshnu, is also tho namo of q town or
city in tho Province Orissa in Bengal,
British India, the city having taken it's
namo from Juggernaut's car and idol
enshrincd within it's walls. Tho ground
upon which tho town is built is consid-
cred holy, and is held by tho commune
ty as common property, no tribute be-
ing exacted from any resident, othor
than that no perform certain ritos in
and about tho temple. thus proving
himself a lIindoo and bclievor in Wish
nu in his manifold forms. Tho city
OF Juggornaut has about $4,000 in
habitants, but rs there is q religious
festival held thore once every month,
tho population constantly, within it's
borders falls but littlo short of 15O.0oO
Tho principal street3 of tho city runs
north and south for two and threo-
fourths milcs-both sides boing formed
by ON almost unbrokcn line of Hindoo
temples, all of which arc ovcrshadowod
by tho great Tomplo of Juggernaut,
which stands ut tho southern extremity
OF tho main street. Tho great tomplo"
rises to height Of nearly 500 feet and
Is surmounted by q bronze-covercd domc.
tho point OF which reaches 100 feet
higher. Tho wall which surrounds this
gigantic pagoda is n square with sides
$50 feet in length; it is Is feet thick at
tho bottom and nearly 40 feet high. Be
sides tho great pagoda in honor of Jug
gernaut. the enclosure contains temples
and idols dedicated to dozens Of the
other lIindoo dcitics. All Of tho idols
nre monstrous in design and frighttul-
looking in appearance. That to krishna
(anothor namc for Juggcrnaut) is paint
ed blue and has O face hidcous in tho
extreme.
BESIDES krishna or Juggornaut two
others of the idols arc provided with i'm
monsc cars or chariots. Tho car OF Jug
gernaut is thought to DO the largest
wheeled vehicle that has yet boon made
in tho world. 1t is 34l5 foot square at
the base and 43}1 feet in height, mount
ed on 10 wheels, each G1E feet in diane
tor. Once each year, at tho great an
nual March festival, Juggernaut mount
cd on tho apex of his stately car, is talk
en- to house about IL miles in tho
country, whore n female image is sup
posed to be waiting to become his bride.
Tho removal of the chariot from tho
shrine to tho country house being pro-
cecding holy in the extromc, no ami
mails arc 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 arc attached to tho
front of the car, tho middle ono having
been twisted from hair cut from tho
hcads of female dovotees. 1t was long
cherished bcliof in Christian coun-
tries that many pilgrims sacrificed thom-
selves upon these gala days. by falling
promo before tho car and allowing the
ponderous wheels to pass over thor
bodies. 1t Is probable that tho accounts
of those sclf-sacriilccs havo boon too
highly colored, and that tho great loss
OF life upon such occasions, whom thou
sands OF frantic dovoteos are congrc-
gated together, comes moro from acct
don't than from desire to start for
Heaven from directly underneath tho
wheels of tho holy car.-St. Louis Ro-
public.