PURI

Odisha is known as the land of Lord Jagannath (literally meaning the Lord of the Universe). The temple built in the 12th Century AD has been the epicenter of Jagannath cult and sees pilgrims flocking the temple town of Puri from all corners of the world throughout the year.

The mysticism associated with the cult of Lord Jagannath overshadows the architectural brilliance of this magnificent temple. Built on a raised platform, the gigantic temple is an architectural marvel in its own right.

The temple saw new additions to its structure till about the 16th Century AD. Unlike other temples of the region, the carvings on the temples are predominantly of gods and goddesses. The entire temple complex is enclosed within two concentric walls, the Kuruma Bheda (Inner wall) and the Meghnad Pachira (Wall). The main entrance to the temple is through Singhadwara located on the Eastern front of the temple with three other entrances along the four cardinal directions. However these are not architecturally aligned indicating that the other entrances might have been created for security purposes since the temple was at the eye of the storm during the tumultuous period between 16th and 18th century.