Annapurna Theatre is the pioneer of Odia Theatre Company.
81-476: In 1933, Somnath Das formed Jayadurga Natya Mandali , an opera party in Khandualkote village in the undivided Puri district. A couple of years later, the organizers decided to switch over to theatre proper. By this time, a few artists from Banamali Art Theatre and Bauri Bandhu Mohanty , an able manager, had joined them. Mohanty had ample experience in the theatrical field. Within a short time he reconstituted
162-712: A chief commissioner: At the time of independence in 1947, British India had 17 provinces: Upon the Partition of India into the Dominion of India and Dominion of Pakistan , eleven provinces (Ajmer-Merwara-Kekri, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Bombay, Central Provinces and Berar, Coorg, Delhi, Madras, Panth-Piploda, Orissa, and the United Provinces) joined India, three (Baluchistan, North-West Frontier and Sindh) joined Pakistan, and three ( Punjab , Bengal and Assam ) were partitioned between India and Pakistan. In 1950, after
243-666: A distance of about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the northeast of the Jagannath Temple. The two temples are located at the two ends of the Bada Danda (Grand Avenue), which is the pathway for the Ratha Yatra. According to a legend, Gundicha was the wife of King Indradyumna who originally built the Jagannath temple. The temple is built using light-grey sandstone , and, architecturally, it exemplifies typical Kalinga temple architecture in
324-487: A dramatic tradition and took a leading role in producing performers, playwrights , and other stage personalities. Both the theatres Annapurna (A&B) group were closed for short period of time, but now Annapurna Theatre B group has resumed functioning back with an agenda of carrying out of one play on 29th of each month. 3. Odia news daily : The Samaja, 30-01-2022, page -9. Puri Puri , also known as, Jagannath Puri , ( Odia: [ˈpuɾi] )
405-446: A height of 58 metres (190 ft), and a flag is unfurled above it, fixed over a wheel ( chakra ). The temple is built on an elevated platform (of about 420,000 square feet (39,000 m ) area), 20 feet (6.1 m) above the adjacent area. The temple rises to a height of 214 feet (65 m) above the road level. The temple complex covers an area of 10.7 acres (4.3 ha). There are four entry gates in four cardinal directions of
486-597: A historian, in his book A Social History of India quotes William Joseph Wilkins, author of the book Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Purānic as stating that in Puri, Buddhism was once a well established practice but later Buddhism faded and Brahmanism became the order of the religious practice in the town; the Buddha deity is now worshipped by the Hindus as Jagannatha. It is also said by Wilkinson that some relics of Buddha were placed inside
567-432: A legislative power existed in such places. The same two kinds of management applied for districts. Thus Ganjam and Vizagapatam were non-regulation districts. Non-regulation provinces included: At the turn of the 20th century, British India consisted of eight provinces that were administered either by a governor or a lieutenant-governor. The following table lists their areas and populations (but does not include those of
648-691: A shore line of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi). Puri is in the coastal delta of the Mahanadi River on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. In the ancient days it was near to Sisupalgarh (also known as "Ashokan Tosali"). Then the land was drained by a tributary of the Bhargavi River , a branch of the Mahanadi River. This branch underwent a meandering course creating many arteries altering the estuary , and formed many sand hills. These sand hills could be cut through by
729-477: A small part of Burma, and by 1886, almost two thirds of Burma had been made part of British India. This arrangement lasted until 1937, when Burma was reorganized as a separate British colony. British India did not apply to other countries in the region, such as Sri Lanka (then Ceylon ), which was a British Crown colony , or the Maldive Islands , which were a British protectorate . At its greatest extent, in
810-645: Is 1,337 millimetres (52.6 in) and the average annual temperature is 26.9 °C (80.4 °F). The weather data is given in the following table. Religious Demographic in Puri Municipality (2011) According to the 2011 Census of India , Puri is an urban agglomeration governed by the Municipal Corporation in Odisha state, with a population of 200,564, comprising 104,086 males, 96,478 females, and 18,471 children (under six years of age). The sex ratio
891-578: Is 927. The average literacy rate in the city is 88.03 percent (91.38 percent for males and 84.43 percent for females). The overwhelming majority of the people in the city (98%) are Hindus , with a small Christian population. Languages spoken in Puri Municipality (2011) Majority of the people speaks Odia , followed by a large minority of Telugu speakers, with substantial number of Bengali and Hindi speakers. The Puri Municipality, Puri Konark Development Authority, Public Health Engineering Organisation and Orissa Water Supply Sewerage Board are some of
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#1732923461890972-748: Is Charita as identified by General Alexander Cunningham of the Archaeological Survey of India , which was later spelled as Che-li-ta-lo by Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang . When the present temple was built by the Eastern Ganga king Anantavarman Chodaganga in the 11th and 12th centuries AD, it was called Purushottamkshetra. However, the Moghuls , the Marathas and early British rulers called it Purushottama-chhatar or just Chhatar. In Moghul ruler Akbar 's Ain-i-Akbari and subsequent Muslim historical records it
1053-479: Is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India . It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal , 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar . It is home to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple and is one of the original Char Dham pilgrimage sites for Hindus . Puri has been known by several names since ancient times, and
1134-591: Is a stone pillar in front of the Singhadwara, called the Aruna Stambha {Solar Pillar}, 11 metres (36 ft) in height with 16 faces, made of chlorite stone; at the top of the stamba an elegant statue of Aruṇa (Sun) in a prayer mode is mounted. This pillar was shifted from the Konarak Sun Temple . The four gates are decorated with guardian statues in the form of lion, horse mounted men, tigers, and elephants in
1215-514: Is also known by the name Jagannatha . According to the chronicle Madala Panji , in 318 AD, the priests and servitors of the temple spirited away the idols to escape the wrath of the Rashtrakuta king Rakatavahu . In the temple's historical records it finds mention in the Brahma Purana and Skanda Purana stating that the temple was built by the king Indradyumna , Ujjayani . S. N. Sadasivan,
1296-520: Is located in the Emara Matha complex (opposite Simhadwara or lion gate, the main entrance gate). The Jagannatha Aitihasika Gavesana Samiti (Jagannatha Historical Centre) is also located here. The library houses ancient palm leaf manuscripts on Jagannatha, His cult and the history of the city. Puri witnesses 24 festivals every year, of which 13 are major. The most important of these is the Ratha Yatra , or
1377-501: Is the popular usage. It is also known by the geographical features of its location as Shankhakshetra (the layout of the town is in the form of a conch shell), Neelāchala ("Blue mountain" a terminology used to name a very large sand lagoon over which the temple was built but this name is not in vogue), Neelāchalakshetra, Neelādri . In Sanskrit , the word "Puri" means town or city, and is cognate with polis in Greek . Another ancient name
1458-607: Is under the Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri, the governing body of the main temple. A small band of servitors maintain the temple. Swargadwar is the name given to the cremation ground or burning ghat which is located on the shores of the sea. Here thousands of dead bodies of Hindus brought from faraway places are cremated. It is a belief that the Chaitanya Mahaparabhu disappeared from this Swargadwar about 500 years back. The beach at Puri, known as
1539-454: The Deula style. The complex comprises four components: vimana (tower structure containing the sanctum), jagamohana (assembly hall), nata- mandapa (festival hall) and bhoga-mandapa (hall of offerings). There is also a kitchen connected by a small passage. The temple is set within a garden, and is known as "God's Summer Garden Retreat" or garden house of Jagannatha. The entire complex, including
1620-654: The Battle of Buxar , the Company obtained the Diwani of Bengal, which included the right to administer and collect land-revenue (land tax) in Bengal , the region of present-day Bangladesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar beginning from 1772 as per the treaty signed in 1765. By 1773, the Company obtained the Nizāmat of Bengal (the "exercise of criminal jurisdiction") and thereby full sovereignty of
1701-536: The Govardhana Matha , one of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya , when he visited Puri in 810 AD, and since then it has become an important dham (divine centre) for the Hindus; the others being those at Sringeri , Dwarka and Jyotirmath . The Matha (monastery of various Hindu sects) is headed by Jagatguru Shankarachrya . It is a local belief about these dhams that Vishnu takes his dinner at Puri, has his bath at Rameshwaram , spends
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#17329234618901782-614: The Indian Empire . India was divided into British India, regions that were directly administered by the British, with acts established and passed in the British parliament, and the princely states , ruled by local rulers of different ethnic backgrounds. These rulers were allowed a measure of internal autonomy in exchange for recognition of British suzerainty . British India constituted a significant portion of India both in area and population; in 1910, for example, it covered approximately 54% of
1863-571: The "Ballighai beach, at the mouth of Nunai River", is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) away from the town and is fringed by casurina trees. It has golden yellow sand. Sunrise and sunset are pleasant scenic attractions here. Waves break in at the beach which is long and wide. The Puri district museum is located on the station road where the exhibits in display are the different types of garments worn by Jagannatha, local sculptures, patachitra (traditional, cloth-based scroll painting), ancient Palm-leaf manuscripts , and local craft work. Raghunandana Library
1944-429: The 8th century AD by Rastrakuta king Govinda III (798–814 AD), and the last took place in 1881 AD by the monotheistic followers of Alekh ( Mahima Dharma ) who did not recognise the worship of Jagannatha. From 1205 AD onward there were many invasions of the city and its temple by Muslims of Afghan and Moghul descent, known as Yavanas or foreigners. In most of these invasions the idols were taken to safe places by
2025-814: The Afghan king by Raja Mansingh , the General of Mughal emperor Akbar , the temple became part of the Mughal empire till 1751. Subsequently, it was under the control of the Marathas till 1803. During the British Raj, the Puri Raja was entrusted with its management until 1947. The triad of images in the temple are of Jagannatha, personifying Krishna, Balabhadra, His older brother, and Subhadra, His younger sister. The images are made of neem wood in an unfinished form. The stumps of wood which form
2106-540: The Bhargavi River has a shallow depth of just 5 feet (1.5 m) and the process of siltation continues. According to a 15th-century Odia writer Saraladasa , the bed of the unnamed stream that flowed at the base of the Blue Mountain or Neelachal was filled up. Katakarajavamsa , a 16th-century chronicle (c.1600), attributes filling up of the bed of the river which flowed through the present Grand Road, as done during
2187-598: The East India Company's victories at the Battle of Plassey (1757), and Battle of Buxar (1764)—both within the Bengal Presidency established in 1765—and the abolition of local rule (Nizamat) in Bengal in 1793, the company gradually began to formally expand its territories across India . By the mid-19th century, and after the three Anglo-Maratha Wars and the four Anglo-Mysore Wars , the East India Company had become
2268-625: The Eastern Ganga dynasty. It was completed by his descendant, Anangabhima Deva, in the 12th century. The wooden images of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra were then deified here. The temple was under the control of the Hindu rulers up to 1558. Then, when Orissa was occupied by the Afghan Nawab of Bengal, it was brought under the control of the Afghan General Kalapahad. Following the defeat of
2349-720: The Madras Presidency (or the Presidency of Fort St. George), the Bombay Presidency, and the Bengal Presidency (or the Presidency of Fort William)—each administered by a governor. After Robert Clive 's victory in the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the puppet government of a new Nawab of Bengal , was maintained by the East India Company. However, after the invasion of Bengal by the Nawab of Oudh in 1764 and his subsequent defeat in
2430-763: The Markandeya Tank, the Swetaganga Tank, and the Bay of Bengal also called the Mahodadhi , in Sanskrit 'Mahodadhi' means a "great ocean"; all are considered sacred bathing spots in the Swargadwara area. These tanks have perennial sources of supply from rainfall and ground water. The Gundicha Temple, known as the Garden House of Jagannatha, stands in the centre of a garden, bounded by compound walls on all sides. It lies at
2511-481: The Mauza Sipaurubilla on the west, Mauza Gopinathpur in the north and Mauza Balukhand in the east. It is within the 67 kilometres (42 mi) coastal stretch of sandy beaches that extends between Chilika Lake and the south of Puri city. However, the administrative jurisdiction of the Puri Municipality extends over an area of 16.3268 square kilometres (6.3038 sq mi) spread over 30 wards, which includes
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2592-591: The administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent . Collectively, they have been called British India . In one form or another, they existed between 1612 and 1947, conventionally divided into three historical periods: "British India" did not include the many princely states which continued to be ruled by Indian princes, though by the 19th century under British suzerainty —their defence, foreign relations, and communications relinquished to British authority and their internal rule closely monitored. At
2673-509: The area and included over 77% of the population. In addition, there were Portuguese and French exclaves in India. Independence from British rule was achieved in 1947 with the formation of two nations, the Dominions of India and Pakistan , the latter including East Bengal , present-day Bangladesh . The term British India also applied to Burma for a shorter time period: beginning in 1824,
2754-581: The branches separated. Managed by Lingaraj Nanda , Annapurna-B had its permanent stage at Tinkonia Bagicha in Cuttack . The building still stands at the place. Till 1968 at least five or six performance played in the Annapurna-B theatre annually. Dramatists like Ramchandra Mishra , Bhanja Kishore Patnaik , Kamal Lochan Mohanty , and Bijay Mishra were products of this playhouse. The A-group at Puri saw its own heyday, regularly touring for two months throughout
2835-661: The car festival, held in the June–July, which is attended by more than 1 million people. The Jagannath Temple triad are normally worshipped in the sanctum of the temple at Puri, but once during the month of Asadha (rainy season of Orissa, usually in June or July), they are brought out on the Bada Danda (main street of Puri) and taken over a distance of (3 kilometres (1.9 mi)) to the Gundicha Temple in huge chariots ( ratha ), allowing
2916-490: The city and provides employment to the people of the town. Agricultural production of rice, ghee, vegetables and so forth of the region meet the large requirements of the temple. Many settlements around the town exclusively cater to the other religious requirements of the temple. The temple administration employs 6,000 men to perform the rituals. The temple also provides economic sustenance to 20,000 people. According to Colleen Taylor Sen , an author on food and travel, writing on
2997-410: The city to the Puri Municipality. This body is represented by elected representatives with a Chairperson and councilors representing the 30 wards within the municipal limits. The electricity is provided by Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Limited in the city and the entire district. The economy of Puri is dependent on tourism to the extent of about 80 percent. The temple is the focal point of
3078-422: The company established its first factory at Hoogly in 1640. Almost a half-century later, after Mughal Emperor Aurengzeb forced the company out of Hooghly for its tax evasion, Job Charnock was tenant of three small villages, later renamed Calcutta , in 1686, making it the company's new headquarters. By the mid-18th century, the three principal trading settlements including factories and forts, were then called
3159-482: The defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War more of his territory was annexed to the Madras Presidency. In 1801, Carnatic , which had been under the suzerainty of the company, began to be directly administered by it as a part of the Madras Presidency. By 1851, the East India Company's vast and growing holdings across the sub-continent were still grouped into just four main territories: By
3240-438: The dependent native states): During the partition of Bengal (1905–1912), a new lieutenant-governor's province of Eastern Bengal and Assam existed. In 1912, the partition was partially reversed, with the eastern and western halves of Bengal re-united and the province of Assam re-established; a new lieutenant-governor's province of Bihar and Orissa was also created. In addition, there were a few provinces that were administered by
3321-618: The early 20th century, the territory of British India extended as far as the frontiers of Persia in the west; Afghanistan in the northwest; Nepal in the north, Tibet in the northeast; and China, French Indochina and Siam in the east. It also included the Aden Province in the Arabian Peninsula . The East India Company , which was incorporated on 31 December 1600, established trade relations with Indian rulers in Masulipatam on
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3402-672: The east coast in 1611 and Surat on the west coast in 1612. The company rented a small trading outpost in Madras in 1639. Bombay, which was ceded to the British Crown by Portugal as part of the wedding dowry of Catherine of Braganza in 1661, was in turn granted to the East India Company to be held in trust for the Crown. Meanwhile, in eastern India , after obtaining permission from the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to trade with Bengal,
3483-455: The eastern corner of the Jagannath Temple, is reported to have been built in the 16th century during the reign of kings of Suryavamsi Gajapatis . The Matha was in the news on 25 February 2011 for the large cache of 522 silver slabs unearthed from a closed chamber. The British conquered Orissa in 1803, and, recognizing the importance of the Jagannath Temple in the life of the people of the state, they initially appointed an official to look after
3564-502: The end of March 2017. Non-Hindus are not permitted to enter the shrines but are allowed to view the temple and the proceedings from the roof of the Raghunandan library, located within the precincts of the temple, for a small donation. Puri, located on the east coast of India on the Bay of Bengal , is in the centre of the Puri district . It is delimited by the Bay of Bengal on the southeast,
3645-467: The era of governors. For the people of Puri, Jagannatha , visualized as Krishna , is synonymous with their city. They believe that Jagannatha looks after the welfare of the state. However, after the partial collapse of the Jagannath Temple (in the Amalaka part of the temple) on 14 June 1990, people became apprehensive and considered it a bad omen for Odisha. The replacement of the fallen stone by another of
3726-714: The expanded Bengal Presidency . During the period, 1773 to 1785, very little changed; the only exceptions were the addition of the dominions of the Raja of Banares to the western boundary of the Bengal Presidency, and the addition of Salsette Island to the Bombay Presidency . Portions of the Kingdom of Mysore were annexed to the Madras Presidency after the Third Anglo-Mysore War ended in 1792. Next, in 1799, after
3807-448: The food culture of India, the temple kitchen has 400 cooks serving food to as many as 100,000 people. According to J Mohapatra, Director, Ind Barath Power Infra Ltd (IBPIL), the kitchen is known as "a largest and biggest kitchen of the world." The Jagannath Temple at Puri is one of the major Hindu temples built in the Kalinga style of architecture. The temple tower, with a spire, rises to
3888-526: The garden, is surrounded by a wall which measures 430 by 320 feet (131 m × 98 m) with height of 20 feet (6.1 m). Except for the 9-day Ratha Yatra, when the triad images are worshipped in the Gundicha Temple, otherwise it remains unoccupied for the rest of the year. Tourists can visit the temple after paying an entry fee. Foreigners (generally prohibited entry in the main temple) are allowed inside this temple during this period. The temple
3969-533: The heirs of the House of Gajapati still perform the ritual duties of the temple. The temple town has many Hindu religious matha s or monasteries. The economy of Puri is dependent on the religious importance of the Jagannath Temple to the extent of nearly 80 percent. The 24 festivals, including 13 major ones, held every year in the temple complex contribute to the economy; Ratha Yatra and its related festivals are
4050-495: The heirs of the Puri Estate still perform the ritual duties of the temple; the king formally sweeps the road in front of the chariots before the start of the Ratha Yatra . This ritual is called Cherra Pahanra. The history of Puri is on the same lines as that of the Jagannath Temple, which was invaded 18 times during its history to plunder the treasures of the temple, rather than for religious reasons. The first invasion occurred in
4131-407: The holy land of Jagannatha , also known by the popular vernacular name Srikshetram, has many ancient names in the Hindu scriptures such as the Rigveda , Matsya purana , Brahma Purana , Narada Purana , Padma Purana , Skanda Purana , Kapila Purana and Niladrimahodaya. In the Rigveda, in particular, it is mentioned as a place called Purushamandama-grama meaning the place where the Creator deity of
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#17329234618904212-404: The idol of Jagannatha which the Brahmins claimed were the bones of Krishna. Even during Maurya king Ashoka 's reign in 240 BC, Kalinga was a Buddhist center and that a tribe known as Lohabahu (barbarians from outside Odisha) converted to Buddhism and built a temple with a statue of Buddha which is now worshipped as Jagannatha. Wilkinson also says that the Lohabahu deposited some Buddha relics in
4293-410: The images of the brothers have human arms, while that of Subhadra does not have any arms. The heads are large, painted and non-carved. The faces are marked with distinctive large circular eyes. Hindus consider it essential to bathe in the Pancha Tirtha or the five sacred bathing spots of Puri, to complete a pilgrimage to Puri. The five sacred water bodies are the Indradyumana Tank, the Rohini Kunda,
4374-475: The most important which are attended by millions of people every year. Sand art and applique art are some of the important crafts of the city. Puri has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of Government of India. Puri is a significant part of the "Krishna pilgrimage circuit" which also includes Mathura , Vrindavan , Barsana , Gokul , Govardhan , Kurukshetra and Dwarka . Puri,
4455-482: The name and order of the gates. A pillar made of fossilized wood is used for placing lamps as offering. The Lion Gate (Singhadwara) is the main gate to the temple, which is guarded by two guardian deities Jaya and Vijaya . The main gate is ascended through 22 steps known as Baisi Pahaca , which are revered, as it is believed to possess "spiritual animation". Children are made to roll down these steps, from top to bottom, to bring them spiritual happiness. After entering
4536-416: The night at Dwarka and does penance at Badrinath . In the 16th century, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu of Bengal established the Bhakti movements of India, now known by the name the Hare Krishna movement . He spent many years as a devotee of Jagannatha at Puri; he is said to have merged with the deity. There is also a matha of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu here known as Radhakanta Math . In the 17th century, for
4617-425: The paramount political and military power in south Asia, its territory held in trust for the British Crown . Company rule in Bengal (after 1793) was terminated by the Government of India Act 1858 , following the events of the Bengal Rebellion of 1857 . Henceforth known as British India, it was thereafter directly ruled as a colonial possession of the United Kingdom , and India was officially known after 1876 as
4698-399: The party and founded Annapurna Theatre in 1936. Within a very short time Annapurna Theatre became a touring troupe. In 1939, Kartik Kumar Ghose translated P.W. D. that is a Bengali play into Odia and it was produced by Annapurna Theatre. Its success encouraged the organizers to march ahead. Later, Aswini Kumar Ghose wrote a number of works for them. As the number of artists increased, it
4779-400: The pilgrims, apart from security, gets priority attention. The civic administration of Puri is the responsibility of the Puri Municipality. The municipality came into existence in 1864 in the name of the Puri Improvement Trust, which was converted into Puri Municipality in 1881. After India's independence in 1947, the Orissa Municipal Act (1950) was promulgated entrusting the administration of
4860-456: The precincts of the temple. Construction of the present Jagannath Temple started in 1136 AD and completed towards the latter part of the 12th century. The Eastern Ganga king Anangabhima III dedicated his kingdom to Jagannatha, then known as the Purushottama-Jagannatha, and resolved that from then on he and his descendants would rule under "divine order as Jagannatha's sons and vassals". Even though princely states do not exist in India today,
4941-399: The priests and the servitors of the temple. Destruction of the temple was prevented by timely resistance or surrender by the kings of the region. However, the treasures of the temple were repeatedly looted. The table lists all the 18 invasions along with the status of the three images of the temple, the triad of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra following each invasion. Puri is the site of
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#17329234618905022-483: The principal organisations that are devolved with the responsibility of providing for civic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, waste management, street lighting and infrastructure of roads. The major activity, which puts maximum pressure on these organisations, is the annual event of the Ratha Yatra held during June- July. According to the Puri Municipality more than a million people attend this event. Hence, development activities such as infrastructure and amenities to
5103-424: The public to have darśana (holy view). This festival is known as the Ratha Yatra, meaning the journey ( yatra ) of the chariots. The yatra starts every year according to the Hindu calendar on the Asadha Sukla Dwitiya day, the second day of bright fortnight of Asadha (June–July). Historically, the ruling Ganga dynasty instituted the Ratha Yatra on the completion of the Jagannath Temple around 1150 AD. This festival
5184-447: The reign of King Narasimha II (1278–1308) of Eastern Ganga dynasty . According to the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system the climate of Puri is classified as Aw (Tropical savanna climate). The city has moderate and tropical climate. Humidity is fairly high throughout the year. The temperature during summer touches a maximum of 36 °C (97 °F) and during winter it is 17 °C (63 °F). The average annual rainfall
5265-415: The sailors sailing on the east coast of India, the temple served as a landmark, being located in a plaza in the centre of the city, which they called the "White Pagoda" while the Konark Sun Temple , 60 kilometres (37 mi) away to the east of Puri, was known as the "Black Pagoda". The iconic representation of the images in the Jagannath temple is believed to be the forms derived from the worship made by
5346-434: The same size and weight (7 tonnes (7.7 tons)), that could be done only in the early morning hours after the temple gates were opened, was done on 28 February 1991. Puri has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of the Indian Government. It is chosen as one of the 12 heritage cities with "focus on holistic development" to be implemented within 27 months by
5427-453: The state of Gujarat ), and this became the company's first headquarters town. It was followed in 1611 by a permanent factory at Machilipatnam on the Coromandel Coast , and in 1612 the company joined other already established European trading companies in Bengal in trade. However, the power of the Mughal Empire declined from 1707, first at the hands of the Marathas and later due to invasion from Persia (1739) and Afghanistan (1761); after
5508-418: The state. But, slowly, both companies lost their financial stability and decadence crept in owing to mismanagement. In between 1977-1988 under Rabindra Parija few plays were carried out and that was the golden period where eminent personalities like Hara Pattnaik, Mihir Das, Jayram Lenka, Brajraj Singh, Harish Mohanty, Chandi Parija, Padyumna Lenka, Suresh Bal, Pranab Kar etc. were born. Annapurna Theatre created
5589-421: The streams. Because of the sand hills, the Bhargavi River, flowing to the south of Puri, moved away towards the Chilika Lake . This shift also resulted in the creation of two lagoons , known as Sar and Samang, on the eastern and northern parts of Puri respectively. Sar lagoon has a length of 5 miles (8.0 km) in an east–west direction and a width of 2 miles (3.2 km) in north–south direction. The estuary of
5670-429: The temple's affairs and later declared the temple as part of a district. In 1906, Sri Yukteswar , an exponent of Kriya Yoga and a resident of Puri, established an ashram , a spiritual training center, named "Karar Ashram" in Puri. He died on 9 March 1936 and his body is buried in the garden of the ashram. The city is the site of the former summer residence of British Raj, the Raj Bhavan , built in 1913–14 during
5751-564: The temple, each gate located at the central part of the walls. These gates are: the eastern gate called the Singhadwara (Lions Gate), the southern gate known as Ashwa Dwara (Horse Gate), the western gate called the Vyaghra Dwara (Tigers Gate) or the Khanja Gate, and the northern gate called the Hathi Dwara or (elephant gate). These four gates symbolize the four fundamental principles of Dharma (right conduct), Jnana (knowledge), Vairagya (renunciation) and Aishwarya (prosperity). The gates are crowned with pyramid shaped structures. There
5832-432: The temple, on the left side, there is a large kitchen where food is prepared in hygienic conditions in huge quantities; the kitchen is called as "the biggest hotel of the world". According to a legend King Indradyumma was directed by Jagannatha in a dream to build a temple for him which he did as directed. However, according to historical records the temple was started some time during the 12th century by King Chodaganga of
5913-622: The time of Indian Independence, in 1947 , there were officially 565 princely states, a few being very large although most were very small. They comprised a quarter of the population of the British Raj and two fifths of its land area, with the provinces comprising the remainders. In 1608, the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar issued a royal farman to the East India Company to establish a small trading settlement at Surat (now in
5994-492: The time of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , and the end of Company rule, the developments could be summarised as follows: The British Raj began with the idea of the presidencies as the centres of government. Until 1834, when a General Legislative Council was formed, each presidency under its governor and council was empowered to enact a code of so-called 'regulations' for its government. Therefore, any territory or province that
6075-497: The tribal groups of Sabaras belonging to northern Odisha. These images are replaced at regular intervals as the wood deteriorates. This replacement is a special event carried out ritualistically by special group of carpenters. The city has many other Mathas as well. The Emar Matha was founded by the Tamil Vaishnava saint Ramanujacharya in the 12th century AD. This Matha, which is now located in front of Simhadvara across
6156-570: The world – Supreme Divinity deified on an altar or mandapa was venerated near the coast and prayers offered with Vedic hymns . Over time the name got changed to Purushottama Puri and further shortened to Puri, and the Purusha came to be known as Jagannatha. Sages like Bhrigu , Atri and Markandeya had their hermitage close to this place. Its name is mentioned, conforming to the deity worshipped, as Srikshetra , Purusottama Dhāma, Purusottama Kshetra , Purusottama Puri and Jagannath Puri . Puri, however,
6237-482: Was added by conquest or treaty to a presidency came under the existing regulations of the corresponding presidency. However, in the case of provinces that were acquired but were not annexed to any of the three presidencies, their official staff could be provided as the governor-general pleased, and was not governed by the existing regulations of the Bengal, Madras, or Bombay presidencies. Such provinces became known as 'non-regulation provinces' and up to 1833 no provision for
6318-465: Was decided to divide the company into two branches. The A-group was stationed in Puri , headed by Mohanty, and the B-group in Cuttack , both on permanent stages. Ramchandra Mishra 's Social Play, Manager, inaugurated the Cuttack theatre in 1945. Ties between the two groups were cordial in the primary phase. Even a third group, Annapurna-C was started for a short period. But, gradually, relations soured and
6399-502: Was known as Purushottama. In the Sanskrit drama Anargha Raghava Nataka as well, authored by Murari Mishra, a playwright, in the 8th century AD, it is referred to as Purushottama. It was only after the 12th century AD that Puri came to be known by the shortened form of Jagannatha Puri, named after the deity or in a short form as Puri. It is the only shrine in India, where Radha , along with Lakshmi , Saraswati , Durga , Bhudevi , Sati , Parvati , and Shakti , abodes with Krishna , who
6480-555: Was locally known as "Sri Kshetra" and the Jagannath temple is known as "Badadeula". Puri and the Jagannath Temple were invaded 18 times by Muslim rulers, from the 7th century AD until the early 19th century with the objective of looting the treasures of the temple. Odisha, including Puri and its temple, were part of British India from 1803 until India attained independence in August 1947. Even though princely states do not exist in India today,
6561-554: Was one of those Hindu festivals that was reported to the Western world very early. Friar Odoric , in his account of 1321, reported how the people put the "idols" on chariots, and the King, the Queen and all the people drew them from the "church" with song and music. British India The provinces of India , earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns , were
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