After leaving my Janmabhumi Hyderabad when I came to my Karmabhumi Odisha, it was a case of love at first sight. I fell in love instantly with the place, the people, the language, the culture, in fact with everything. However, what mesmerized me the most was the Jagannath Culture. I started doing research and soon realized that Jagannath Culture is not merely a religious belief, it is a way of life. It is a consciousness which encompasses the values of every faith, doctrine, ethos and religion on Planet Earth.
Given below are a few nuggets which illustrate what makes Jagannath Consciousness supreme and sublime-
1) The three images of Lord Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra represent the three colours of humankind – black, yellow and white. Can there be a more evocative illustration of the concept of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam or ‘world is one family’.
Today when the world is being rocked by violence and intolerance the concept of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, if internalised, can provide the healing touch.
2) In temples the Lord is usually seen with his wife/companion. The Jagannath Temple is the only temple in the world where the Lord appears with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra. Can there be a better example of family values?
In modern India the joint family system is slowly breaking up and the nuclear family is becoming more and more the norm. This is leading to several social and psychological problems. By embracing the ethos of family values our society can once again usher in the era of brotherhood and peace for which it was famous.
3) The images are made of wood. They signify commitment to the environment.
Nature is fast becoming the first casualty in man’s quest for prosperity. Man should draw inspiration from the Jagannath Culture and go back to preserving and nurturing nature.
4) All the Gods and Goddesses are ensconced in their chambers waiting for their devotees to go to them for darshan. Lord Jagannath is the only Lord who, along with his siblings, comes out of his abode and reaches out to his devotee during the Rath Yatra which is also called the Patitapavan Yatra. Can there be a more eloquent example of love, affection and bonding?
It is often found in modern society that today’s leaders rather than reaching out to the people prefer to be in their cocoons of arrogance and power. As a result, they get alienated from those whom they are supposed to serve. Rath Yatra teaches us the importance of achieving a connect between different layers of society.
5) Lord Jagannath's reach is beyond religion, faith and doctrine. His disciples include Adiguru, Sankaracharya, Sikh Guru, Nanak; Vaishnavite, Sri Chaitanya Deva; Ram Bhakta, Goswami Tulasi Das; devotee of Ganesh, Ganapati Bhatta; Muslim devotees, Kabir and Bhakta Salbeg; devotees such as Dasia Bauri, Mania Das and many others who belonged to lower caste and the Christian disciple, Captain Beat, etc.
The Jagannath Culture crosses the boundaries of caste, creed, religion and race to embrace the entire humankind.
Thus, to sum up, Jagannath consciousness is a mosaic of harmony and spirituality which is enduring, endearing and eternal.
Ramendra Kumar (Ramen) is a writer, a storyteller and an inspirational speaker with 41 books to his name. He has been doing research on Jagannath Consciousness and has presented a paper on the contemporary relevance of Jagannath Consciousness at the 31st IBBY World Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2008
By Ramendra Kumar
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