Introduction

Design Resource

Traditional Wooden Idols - Puri, Orissa

The Icons of Hindu Deities

Prof. Bibhudutta Baral, Divyadarshan C. S. and Sandhya B

Introduction

Bhubaneshwar is a capital of Orissa, a state in India. The history of this place is three thousand years old and it begins with Mahamegha-bahana dynasty. The name is said to be derived from Tribuwaneshwar, meaning the Lord (Eshwar) of the three world (tribhuwan). The place has got many names and is also called as city of temples.

The most worshipped deity in Orissa is Lord Jagannath and the temple is an important pilgrimage destination for many worshippers of Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu. It is most visited by Hindus. The icons of Hindu deities are usually made of stone or metal but the idol of Lord Jagannath is made of Neem wood. The legendry story told of the temple origin is that the image of Jagannath, a diety form of Vishnu at the end of Treta Yuga established near a banyan tree near seashore in the form of Blue Jewel. The power of Blue Jewel was that it could give Moksha (Salvation) instantly, so the god Dharma and Yama wanted to hide it in the earth and was successful. To find that secretive image the King Indrayumna of Malwa in Dvapara Yugaand performed harsh sacraments.Vishnu then instructed him to go to the Puri seashore and find a floating log to make an image from its trunk. The King found the log and Yagna God appeared from yajna and instructed the King that Narayana (Lord Vishnu) should be made as four discrete expansions that is Paramatma as Vasudeva, his Vyuha as Samkarshana, Yogamaya as Subhadra, and his Vibhava as Sudarsana.

Vishwakarma appeared as an artist and the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are created. When this log, glowing with light was seen floating in the sea, Narada told the king to make three idols out of it and place them in a dome. The King Indradyumna got Visvakarma, the architect of Gods, to build a magnificent temple to place the idols and Vishnu himself appeared in the form of carpenter to make the idols on condition that he has to be left in peace until he finished the work. But just after two weeks, the Queen got afraid as no sound came from the temple. She took the carpenter to be dead. Therefore, she requested the king to open the door. Thus, they visit to see Vishnu at work where he had gone leaving the idols unfinished. The idol was without any hands. A divine voice instructed the King to install them in temple and It is believed that though the idol is without hands, it can have a watch over the world.

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Traditional Wooden Idols - Puri, Orissa