The occurrence of getting rid of fever might be due to a strong sense of belief and a psychological motivation which is highest among humans and can bring about huge physical changes by a single thought alone. The devotees may have decided to attribute their individual will power of getting over fever to the Jara Thakurani or there might be mystical powers in the triplet idols which one can’t really substantiate or prove. There are many more such Gods and Goddesses who possess secret powers but not everyone knows of their existence. Each time you visit the temple, you might just find something new and mythical inside. No one can claim to have visited every nook and corner of Puri Jagannath Temple (the Shri Mandir) and experienced it all.
Several devotees arrive to Jagannath Puri Temple for the darshan of the Lord Jagannath every day but, ignorantly enough, many have not bothered to take the complete vertical view of the Jagannath Temple Puri. On reaching the Bata Mangala (a goddess temple), one can get a complete vertical view of the temple. Astonishingly enough, this is only point in the premises from where Puri Jagannath temple can be viewed right from the basement up to the apex of the flying Patitapawan bana (holy flag). Standing right in front of the Surya Mandir and the Bali Mandir gives a holistic view of Jagannath Puri temple (the Shri Mandir)and if one moves even a wee bit away, he/she would definitely miss some minute parts of the ethereal view. One can question the architectural structure of Jagannath Temple Puri but there are no firm judgments on it.
Jagannath Puri Temple (The Shri Mandir) is an attractive destination for food connoisseurs due to the bhog (offering made to Gods) prepared here popularly known as, the Maha Prasad (the supreme of all bhogs). The process of cooking the Maha Prasad still remains a wonder to behold. How can meals be prepared in kuduas (earthen pots) by just putting them one above the other and lighting fire underneath? This procedure of cooking food has been continuing at the temple since times immemorial. It is said that this is the oldest form of cooking whose underlying principle is same as that of the modern pressure cooker. All the varied dishes and numerous kuduas of a particular dish are remarkably uniform in taste, aroma, color and flavor. Anand Bazar, food market inside the premises of Puri Jagannath Temple where the Maha Prasad is available, happens to be the largest food market of the world which has never been barren regardless of the count of the number of devotees who feed on Prasad every day. After the Maha Prasad is offered in the temple of Lord Jagannath, it is taken to the Maha Laxmi temple for the final touch of his wife without which the bhog is not holy enough. Next, it is carried to Anand Bazaar where devotees sit on the floor irrespective of caste, class, creed or color and enjoy a hearty and sumptuous meal remembering the Lord with every morsel.
Mysteries do not end in the Land of the Lord Jagannath. The more one wants to unveil the age-old spiritual cult of Puri Jagannath, the more is the illusion of the divinity. Questions spring up from the box full of mysteries seeking pragmatic explanations but hardly any answers follow. Believers trust these mysteries more than sciences, facts and figures. And these mysteries shall continue to evoke questions, emotions and devotions regarding their occurrence for generations to come, and which will keep them pulling to Puri Jagannath Temple. Someone has rightly said that some mysteries are best unsolved. Jai Jagannath.
