26th.—Mr. S⸺ came off to the “Robarts,” and we returned with him in the Masulla boat to his house, where we breakfasted and enjoyed fresh strawberries. The sun was extremely powerful, but I could not resist going in a palanquin to see the temple of Jaganāth. It is built of stone, and surrounded by a very high wall of the same material, enclosing a large space of ground, and it has four great gateways. In front of the grand entrance is a column of one entire piece of stone, and elegant in form. Two monsters frown on either side the gateway. A wheel ornaments the top of the dome, surmounted by a staff, on which three flags are flying; the staff was bent during a hurricane. I got out of the palanquin, and went into the gateway to look at the temple; the Brahmans were extremely afraid my unholy footstep might profane the place, and would scarcely allow me even to look into the interior, otherwise I would have sketched it. A number of those idle rascals were about, and they appeared annoyed when I expressed a wish to enter the enclosure, which is around the temple.
One of the Hindoo poets, in answer to the question, “Why has Vishnŭ assumed a wooden shape?” (alluding to the image of Jaganāth) says, “The troubles of his family have turned Vishnŭ into wood: in the first place he has two wives, one of whom (the goddess of Learning) is constantly talking, and the other (the goddess of Prosperity) never remains in one place: to increase his troubles, he sits on a snake; his dwelling is in the water, and he rides on a bird. All the Hindoos acknowledge it is a great misfortune for a man to have two wives; especially if both live in one house.”
Krishnŭ is a descent of Vishnŭ, and the bones of Krishnŭ are Jŭgŭnat’hŭ.
I made the circuit of the wall, and then visited the swing of the idol. Once a year Jaganāth is brought forth, and put into this swing. The arch is of black marble, and has the appearance of richly-carved bronze: the ropes are supported by iron rings fixed into the arch. It stands on a platform, to which you ascend by a flight of steps, which are crowned by two monsters, couchant. From the temple I returned to tiffin, and on my way I thought of the description of the plains covered with human sculls; therefore, I kept a sharp look out for them, but not one could I see. The god was shut up in his temple; we were not fortunate enough to land there during the celebration of the rites, or when he is brought forth once a year at the festival called Rat’-ha-jattra, or the festival of the Chariot. The height of the ruth is forty-two feet, supported on sixteen wheels; the four horses in front of it are of wood: ropes are attached to the bars below, and the car, with the monstrous idol within it, is drawn by 20,000 frantic devotees. On this occasion Krishnŭ is worshipped as Jaganāth’ha, or Lord of the universe: the Lord of the World, from jugŭt, the world, and nat’hu, lord.
“In some period of Hindū history he was accidentally killed by a hunter, who left the body to rot under the tree where it fell. Some pious person, however, collected the bones of Krishnŭ, and placed them in a box, where they remained: a king, who was performing religious austerities, to obtain some favour of Vishnŭ, was directed by the latter to form the image of Jŭgŭnnathŭ, and put into its belly these bones of Krishnŭ, by which means he should obtain the fruit of his religious austerities. The king inquired who should make this image; and was commanded to pray to Vishnŭ-kŭrmŭ the architect of the gods. He did so, and obtained his request; but the architect at the same time declared, that if any one disturbed him while preparing the image, he would leave it in an unfinished state. He then began, and in one night built a temple upon the blue mountain in Orissa, and proceeded to prepare the image in the temple; but the impatient king, after waiting fifteen days, went to the spot; on which the architect of the gods desisted from his work, and left the god without feet or hands. The king was very much disconcerted; but on praying to Brŭmha, he promised to make the image famous in its present shape. The king now invited all the gods to be present at the setting up of this image: Brŭmha himself acted as high priest, and gave eyes and a soul to the god, which completely established the fame of Jŭgŭnnathŭ. This image is said to lie in a pool near the present temple of Jŭgŭnnathŭ in Orissa.” After many ceremonies have been performed within the temple, the god is drawn forth in his car; at the expiration of eight days he is conveyed back to the place from which he came. The festival is intended to celebrate the diversions of Krishnŭ and the Gopīs, with whom he used to ride out in his chariot. The image of Bŭlŭ-Ramŭ the brother of Jŭgŭnnat’hŭ almost always accompanies him. Some place the image of Révŭtee by the side of her husband, Bŭlŭ-Ramŭ; she was a singular personage, that maiden lady, for at the time of her marriage she was 3,888,000 years old! Bŭlŭ-Ramŭ saw her for the first time when ploughing; notwithstanding her immense stature (which reached as high as a sound ascends in clapping the hands seven times), Bŭlŭ-Ramŭ married her, and to bring down her monstrous height, he fastened a ploughshare to her shoulders.
JAGANĀTH.
At this festival all castes eat together: the pilgrims to this shrine endure excessive hardships from fatigue, want of food, and exposure to the weather; sometimes a devotee will throw himself under the wheels of the car, and be crushed to death, believing, if he sacrificed his life through his faith in Jŭgŭnat’hŭ, the god would certainly save him. Every third year they make a new image, when a Brahman removes the original bones of Krishnŭ from the inside of the old image to that of the new one; on this occasion he covers his eyes, lest he should be struck dead for looking on such sacred relics. The Rajah of Burdwan expended twelve lākh of rupees in a journey to Jŭgŭnat’hŭ, including two lākh paid as a bribe to the Brahmans to permit him to see these bones; but he died six months afterwards for his temerity. A number of women belong to the temple, whose employment is to dance and sing before the god. Jŭgŭnat’hŭ, his brother, Bŭlŭ-Ramŭ, and their sister, Soobhŭdra, are placed together in the car.
In the plate entitled [Jaganāth] is a brass idol, (Fig. 5,) which was given me at Pooree; it may probably represent the three personages above mentioned; but why the brother and sister should have stumps instead of arms, and why they should have no legs, I cannot imagine. Is Jaganāth in himself a trinity, as this idol would lead one to suppose?
Fig. 1, in the same plate, is a fac-simile of a little wooden model of the god; it has no legs, and only stumps as arms; the head is very large, as are also the great circular eyes. At the festivals the Brahmans adorn Jaganāth with silver or golden hands; and an offering of a pair of golden hands to the image is considered an act of great devotion. This model was presented to me at Pooree, as was also the seal (Fig. 2), with which the priests stamp the worshipper on the breast and on the arms; it is covered with various holy emblems: the tika of bhabūt or ashes is also placed on the forehead of the pilgrim by the ministering Brahman. The Uchchat tilak is the ceremony of putting a few grains of boiled rice on the forehead of an image when addressed, or of a Brahman when invited to an entertainment.