Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-01-30
JUGGERNAUTS CHARIOT.
A Sacred Vehicle Known as 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 its 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 a 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 north,
the population constantly, within its
borders falls but little short of $50. 900.
The principal streets of the city runs
north and south for two and three
fourths miles-both sides being formed
by an almost unbroken line of Hindoo
temples, all of which are overshadowed
by the great Temple of Juggernaut,
! which stands at the southern extremity
of the main street. The great temple"
rises to height Of nearly 800 feet and
[ is surmounted by bronze-covered dome,
| the point OF which reaches 100 feet
higher. The wall which surrounds this
gigantic pagoda is a square with sides
$50 feet 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, the enclosure contains temples
and idols dedicated to dozens of the
other Hindoo 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
!
mense cars or chariots. The car of Jug
gernaut is thought to he the largest
wheeled vehicle that has yet been made
in the world. 1t is 341l feet square at
the base and 4S19 feet in height, mount
ed on 16 wheels, each 6H 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 TAX
en- to house about IL miles in the
country, where female image is sup
posed to be waiting to become his bride.
The removal OF the chariot from the
shrine to the country house being a pro-
ceeding holy in the extreme, no ami
mails are used for drawing the 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 the
front of the car, the middle one having
been twisted from hair cut from the
heads of female devotees. 1t was long
cherished belief in Christian coun.
tries that many pilgrims sacrificed them.
selves upon these gala days, by falling
prone before the car and allowing the
ponderous wheels to pass over theil
bodies. 1t is probable that the accounts
of these self-sacrifices have been toe
highly colored, and that the great los:
Of life upon such occasions, when thou
sands of frantic devotees are congre
gated together, comes more from acc
dent than from a desire to start fo,
} Heaven from directly underneath the
wheels of the holy car.-St Louis Re
| nublic.