History of Jagannath Temple

The foundation stone of Jagannath Temple was laid by Sanyasi Baikunth Das in the month of January, 1968. Small idols of Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra, Maa Subhadhra and Sudarshan were placed in the temple complex. A Dharamsala was later added to the temple complex to benefit devotees who come from Orissa and wish to stay in the premises of the temple complex.

Big idols of Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra, Maa Subhadhra and Sudarshan were brought from Puri and placed with religious fevor in the temple complex.

Unique Cultural Conglomeration

The temple is seen as a conglomeration of cultures and traditions as people from across the country visit the temple. For the benefit of the devotees the temple management has arranged for availability of traditional Prasad from within the temple premises. Each day the Annaprasad is prepared from different ingredients.

While the day Prasad is available from 8 am to 10 am, the night Prasad can be bought between 3 pm to 6 pm. The Annaprasad mainly consists of Arna, Dali, Ghanta, Saga and Kheeri. Each day some of the ingredient of the Annaprasad is changed making the devotees get a taste of the traditional Oriya delicacies daily. The temple management also offers free food to the needy every Sunday through its Narayan Sewa initiative.

A conference room and a library also exist within the temple complex. The Gopubandhu Library in the temple complex has a rich collection of devotional books and those with keen interest in religious scriptures will find the library to be of keen significance.

Music and dance classes are also conducted by the temple authorities and young children learn traditional Oriya dance forms under the guidance of trained gurus.

Keeping the Oriya Ethics Alive

The temple has been built by the Oriya community to keep the cultural ethics of the community alive in New Delhi. True to its name, the temple management which comprises of key personalities from Orissa are making dedicated efforts to keep this tradition alive. Cultural programs are organised by the temple management occasionally and act as a medium of bringing the community together.

Events as Kartik Purnima Mahotsava are organized and celebrated with religious fevor every year and give an opportunity to the children who learn dance and music at the temple to showcase their talent.

The temple is mostly known for the traditional Rath Yatra. Much like the festivities associated with the traditional Rath Yatra in Puri, Orissa, the Rath Yatra organized by the Jagannath temple authorities in New Delhi is much revered by the devotees.

Rath Yatra not only signifies the relevance of Lord Jagannath in general but also acts as a focal point for the Oriya community in New Delhi to come together and bind as a unit. The popularity of the annual Rath Yatra conducted by the Jagannath temple authorities can be gauged from the fact that the Yatra festivities in 2013 attracted over a lakh devotees.

Best Time to Visit

Any time of the year is best to plan a visit to the Jagannath temple in New Delhi. However, if you wish to experience the religious fevor from close quarters, a visit during the month of July is highly recommended. The annual Rath Yatra is usually held in July and will give you an opportunity to be a part of the religious assemblage.

How to Reach

By Road

ISBT located at Kashmiri Gate and Anand Vihar are the two major bus terminals in New Delhi. Local buses from these two bus terminals can be taken to Safdarjang Bus Terminal from where the temple is located in close vicinity.

By Rail

Delhi Metro being operated by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is the best means of travelling within the city. Jor Bag and INA stations of the Delhi Metro lie approximately 1 km from the temple complex and you can disembark on any of these.

By Air

Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is the air link of the city with rest of the world. The temple can be accessed directly from the airport as a dedicated metro line links the airport with Jor Bag and INA from where the temple is located in the vicinity.