Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-01-17
THE CITY OF JUGGEKNAUT.
Somethi:t 1bout ITS Great Temple, tn
Chariot, and the IDOLS,


Juggcruaut, besides being the name
of the idol representing Vishuu, is also
the name OF a town or city in the Prov
ince Orisea in Bengal, British India, the
city having taken its name from Jugger-
nauts car and idol enshrined within its
walls The ground upon which the
town is built is considered holy, and is
held by the community as common
property, no tribute being exaCted from
any resident, other than that he perform
certain rights in and about the temple,
thus proving himself Hin,!Do and firm
believer in Vishnu i'll his manifold forms.
The city of Juggernaut has about 80, 900
inhabitants, but as there is religious
festival held there once every month
the population constantly within its
borders fall lut little short of $50, 600
The p incipal street of the city runs
north and sou h for two and three fourth
mles-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 sur
mounted by a bronze covered dome, the
point of which reaches 100 feet higher.
The wall which surrounds this gigantic
pagoda is ii square, With sides $50 feet in
length; i IS feet thick at the bottom,
and nearly 40 feet high.
Resides the great pagola in honor of
Juggernaut, She inclosure contains tenn
pies and idols dedicated to dozens of
other IIindoo deities. All of the idols
are monslrous III design and frightful
looking in app aarance. That to Krishna
(another name for JuggernauD is pain ed
blue, and has a face hideous in the eX-
trcme. According to Hindoo legend
Krishna was killed by a hunter. His
bones We're found under a tree and
brought before King Indradyumna, who
was directed 10y one of the gods to form
an imaan OF Jaganath, and place
k"ishna's bones inside. Nisvakarma,
divine arc itcct and sculptor, undertook
to make the image, but, being hurried
by the king, left off in anger. s. Jaga-
nath WAS left without hands or feet In
compcn 'ation, Bralnma gave the image
eyes and Il soul, 1t may be seen by the
legend that it was originally on account
of the sanity bones within it that the
image was vcneratel.
Besides Krishna OF jaeger lau', two
others Of the idols are provided with i'm
mense cars or ch&riots. The car Of Jug
gnrnaut is thought to be the largest
| VIII, eled vehicle that has vet been made
in the world 1t is 81 feet square at
the base and 40! feet in height, mounted
on sixteen wheels, each g. feet in di-
ameter. OIce each year, at the treat
annual March festival, Juggernaut,
mounted on the apex of his stately car,
is taken to a house about one mile and
half in the countr , where a female
image is Supposed to be waiting to be-
| come his bride. The removal of the
chariot from the shrine to the country
house Icing q pr ceeding holy. in the
extreme, no animals are used for draw
| ing the chariot, men. women, and chill
dren only being perlsitted to perform
| such religious services. On this occasion
either five CT seven l5ig ropes are at
tached to the front cad of the car, the
middle one having been twisted from
hair cut from the heads OF female devo-
tees. it was long a cherished belief in
Christian countries that many pilgrims
sacrificed themselves upon these gala
day. by falling prone before the car and
allowing the ponderous wheels to pass
over their bodies 1t is probable that
the accounts o. these self sacrific s have
been too highly colored, and that the
great loss of life upon such occasions,
when thousands of frantic devotees are
congregated together, comes more from
accident than from desire to start for
heaven from directly underneath the
wheels of the holy car.-LSt. Louis Re
public