Jagdish Temple
Jay Jagdish Hare...
Narayan!!! Narayan!!!! The chant used by Narad Muni, which is an ancient Vedic name of Lord Vishnu meaning Lord in infinite form and the one who is resting on the water. Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God is regarded as the Preserver – Palan karta of universe. Lord Jagannath… one of 1000 names of the Lord has his magnificent abode in the Jagdish Temple in the beautiful city of Udaipur.
History
Built in the year 1652 by then Maharana Jagat Singh I (1628-53), Jagdish Temple is one of the most prominent and the largest temple of Udaipur. Situated in the vicinity of the Lake Pichola and about 150 meters from the Bara Pol entrance of the City Palace, the temple illustrates the Indo – Aryan style of architecture. About Rs 1.5 million were spent on the construction of the temple, then…
As per the legend, the Maharana was an avid devotee of Lord Jagannath and with his supernatural powers, used to visit the Jagannath temple in Puri everyday and only then have his meal. Once the temple was closed for 15 days and he remained hungry for that many days. Lord Jagannath came in his dream and advised him to build a temple in the state of Mewar. Lord also told him where to dig for HIS statue.
The temple was attacked by the Mugal Emperor Aurangzeb in the year 1680 and was destroyed partially. In the year 1723, Maharana Sangram Singh II rebuilt the structure which we can see as of today.
Architecture
Jagdish temple is considered to be an architectural marvel. The three storied temple boasts itself for its baroque craftsmanship and artistry. The 125 feet high temple stands tall on 50 pillars to give it a grand look. The dome of the temple is adorned with sculptures of dancers, horseman, elephants and musicians which makes it a visual delight. Along with it the pyramidal sphere, the mandap (prayer hall) and a porch add to its glory.
The temple is guarded by two massive built stone elephant statues. You will find a stone slab imprinted with inscriptions of the Maharana. As per the legend, it is the same stone on which the main idol was placed whilst the temple was being constructed.
32 steep Marble steps lead to the gracious main shrine. Once you enter the shrine you are welcomed with the brass sculpture of Garuda (half human, half eagle) – the vahana of Lord Vishnu. It feels like that the main idol is guarded by the Garuda. The pillars and walls are embedded with mythological tales and characters.
The four armed idol of Lord Jagannath is carved from single piece of black stone and has a celestial look which reciprocates calms and warmth in the eyes of the visitor. The main shrine is encircled with four other shrines devoted to Lord Ganesha, Sun God, Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva.
Worship
Jagdish mandir bestows lot of faith among it devotees. There are locals who visit the temple on daily basis. It is said that if you wish something with purest of your heart, your wish shall be granted by Lord Jagannath. Apart from this, visitors come from around the world to offer their prayers to the Lord. They are overwhelmed when they see the magnificent architecture.
The worship starts as early as 4.30 am in the morning with the Mangala Aarti. After that the idol is ornamented and Shringhar Aarti is performed. Lord is offered special food known called as Raj Bhog. The evening is lit up with Sandhya Aarti and the day is ended with the Shayan Aarti.
Darshan Timings:
- Morning: 4:15 am – 1:00 pm
- Evening: 5:15 am – 9 pm
Aarti Timings:
- Morning: 4:15 am – 1:00 pm
- Evening: 5:15 am – 9 pm
- Mangala Aarti: 4:30 m to 5 am
- Dhoop Aarti: 7:45 am to 9 am
- Shringar Aarti: 10:15 am to 11 am
- Rajbhog Aarti: 11:30 am to 12 pm
- Gwal Aarti: 5:30 pm to 6 pm
- Sandhya Aarti: 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm
- Shayan Aarti: 8:15 pm to 8:45 pm
Festivals
Jagannath Rath Yatra is the most important and poplular festival which is celebrated every year. A huge procession starts from the temple premises. The preparation of this event starts weeks in advance. Jagannath procession is taken in the old rath which is cleaned and beautified. The entire route is decorated with flags. Various political and social leaders and people from different religion participate in this Yatra. The procession starts from the mandir premises and does a whole round of the city and is welcomed back in the temple with aarti and attended by thousands of people. The purpose of this Yatra is to bring in harmony between different sects of people.
The festival of Holi which is celebrated as “Faag” with great pomp and velour. Various cultural programs are arranged right from Basant Panchmi till the 5th day of Holi. Devotees express their joy by singing songs. The celebration on the day starts from early morning; the temple area and its adjoining chowk are mobbed with colorful people. The entire area is barricaded and vehicular movement is not allowed from 3 -4 kms. The air is as colorful as the people who come out in the traditional white kurtas and pajamas. You can see more foreigners than the locals dancing to the tunes of the traditional drum music. After Holi, everyday, for the next 5 days at 1 pm, the idol is kept on a decorated swing and festival of colors is played in the temple premises.
Nearby Locations & Attractions
As you finish off your darshan at the temple, it’s time to get into the shopping mode. The mandir lane is connected to the main shopping neighborhood of the city and itself is a shopaholic’s paradise. In fact it is an experience to walk through these lanes and shop. Be it ethnic wear, souvenirs, jewellery, paintings or handicrafts. You can just Shop, Shop and Shop. Along with shopping you can enjoy the street food on the Thelas which satisfies your hunger pangs. From Samosas to the Kachoris, Vada Pavs to Poha, Faloodas to Lemon Soda, you can find all sorts of delicacies and junk to fill your belly.
Famous tourist destinations like Lake Picchola, City Palace, Bagore Ki Haveli, Gangaur Ghat are very close to Jagdish Temple. You can explore the heritage of this old city by walking through the lanes around the temple. A major part of famous James Bond Movie “Octopussy” was shot in Udaiur in early ’80s. Few scenes where Bond is chased by Kabir Bedi were filmed in the lanes near the temple. You can visit any nearby cafe/ restaurant in the evening to watch this famous Bond classic while enjoying our dinner at roof-top restaurants overlooking Lake Pichhola. Few scenes of famous movie “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” were filmed at Hotel Udaigarh located behind Jagdish Temple.