JUGERUM, in Roman antiquity, a square of 120 Roman feet, being to the English acre as 10 ’ 000 to 16*097.·

ĴUGGERNATH, properly Jagatnatiia, the Lord of the World, a celebrated temple and place of Hindu worship, on the sea-coast of Orissa, and district of Cuttack, near to the town of Pursolem, esteemed the most sacred of all the Hindu religious establishments. It is situated a few miles to the north-east of the Chilka Lake, close to the sea-shore, and, when seen from a distance, is a shapeless mass of building, but forms an excellent landmark for navigators in approaching so low a coast. It is surrounded by several courts or inclosures, into the interior of which no European is admitted; and at the gate of the outward wall are two large statues of singhs, an imaginary or fabulous animal, nearly as large as an elephant. Juggernath is said to be one of the incarnations of Vishnu; but the original dedication of the temple is involved in fable. It is known to have existed for above 800 years, and is mentioned as a celebrated place of Hindu worship by the oldest Mahommedan historians of India. The idol itself is a huge disgusting image of the human form, made of wood, with a frightful black visage, and a distended mouth foaming with blood. On each side of him is another image, one part of which is painted white, and the other yellow; the first is said to be the image of his sister Shubudra, the other that of his brother Balaram. The throne of the idol is placed on a stupendous car or moveable tower, about sixty feet high, resting on wheels, which, from the weight, indent the ground deeply as they move along; and it is then that, in the fanatical madness of his bloody superstition, devotees throw themselves under the wheels and are crushed to death. The tower is drawn along by the people by means of ropes, amidst the shouts of the ignorant multitude; and upon the car are the priests and attendants. The concourse of Hindu pilgrims to this shrine is immense; the aged come to die at Juggernath; and so numerous are these pilgrims, that the approach to it is known at the distance of fifty miles by the quantity of human bones strewed on the way. The impurity of the Hindu idolatry is strongly indicated by the indecent sculptures that cover the walls of the temple and the sides of the machine.

The resort of Hindu pilgrims to Juggernath is the source of a considerable revenue; and the British, by the conquest of the province of Cuttack from the Mahrattas in 1803, have succeeded to all their rights as sovereigns, and consequently to the right of collecting this tax on the superstition of the inhabitants. The superintendence of the temple and of its interior economy was conferred on the rajah of Khoordah. The sum realized by the company from this singular source of revenue is very trifling, not exceeding 11,000 or 12,000 rupees. The tax amounts [7:12:627]to from ten to two rupees, according to the different classes of pilgrims, who are allowed access to the temple from thirty to four days. The devotees of low caste are, however, obliged to perform all their ceremonies on the outside of the temple. A great number of pilgrims, including all devotees and religious persons, are admitted gratuitously to the temple. Merchants and traders have access to the town of Parsottom, which is adjacent to the idol; but they have no access to the temple except by permission. One of the chief periods of pilgrimage is in March, when the Dole Jattrah takes place; and the other in July, when the Ruth Jattrah is celebrated. The travelling distance from Calcutta it 311 miles, from Benares 512. from Madras 719, from Delhi 910, and from Bombay 1052 miles. Long. 86. 5. E. Lat. 19. 49. N.