A Reassessment of the Origin of the Jagannath Cult of Puri
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Odisha Review June - 2012 A Reassessment of the Origin of the Jagannath Cult of Puri Manorama Tripathy The origin of the Jagannatha cult of Puri is shrouded Dasa’s Mahabharata, besides taking recourse in mystery. Although it is one of the widely to rich speculations. Several other sources have researched areas in the cultural history of Odisha, also been consulted. However, it is surprising that a clear and unambiguous picture of the genesis of an early account of the origin of the cult, recorded the cult continues to elude us. This is largely so in the ‘Purushottamakshetra Mahatmya’ of the because the sources which provide information Sanskrit Skanda Purana, has not been given the about the cult are either mythical or fragmentary importance it deserves. This work, apparently in nature. These sources include religious texts written in the fourteenth century, is often and inscriptions. The inscriptions, by their very mentioned in passing. Sometimes, bits and pieces nature, do not give us any chronological picture. of information from it are cited to corroborate an Religious texts on the other hand contain valuable argument. But the work has not been taken up pieces of historical information, but the historical for critical scrutiny in a way it really deserves. consciousness found in them differ from the ways The work is important not for the information it in which history is understood by us today. provides, which is often highly unreliable. It is Scholars have subjected the existing evidence to significant because it helps us to develop a extensive scrutiny as a result of which our reasonable perspective on the origin of the knowledge of the beginnings of the cult has Jagannatha cult. considerably advanced in recent decades. But the There is a school of thought which traces possibility of producing a historically valid account the origin of the Jagannatha cult to Buddhism. of it continues to remain remote. In this paper, an Harekrushna Mahtab is an advocate of this view. 1 attempt is made to put forward a new Similar views were held by nineteenth century interpretation by taking up the sources for European scholars like W.W. Hunter, Alexander reassessment. Cunningham and Monier-Williams.2 Rajendralal It is interesting to note that most scholars Mitra also upheld the Buddhist origin theory. 3 This working on the origin of the Jagannatha cult have theory has now been challenged. It has recently focused on epigraphic sources, iconography, been argued that the origin of the Jagannatha cult ethnography, Sanskrit sources like Murari’s cannot be traced to Buddhism although the cult Anargharaghava, and Odia sources like Madala was subjected to profound Buddhist ethical Panji, Deula Tola, Rajabhoga and Sarala influence at a later date.4 For this reason, the 28 June - 2012 Odisha Review Buddhist origin theory is kept out of the scope of Anangabhima was of course not the the present discussion. original founder of the temple. The Madala Panji The Madala Panji, which is the most attributes the establishment of the temple to the important temple-chronicle of Puri, credits the Somavamsi king Yayati Kesari. Anangabhima is Eastern Ganga king Anangabhima with the only credited in the chronicle with the construction of the existing temple. H. von Stietencron identifies construction of the existing Jagannatha temple in 8 Puri. The chronicle, which is preserved in the Puri this ruler with Yayati I. This is endorsed by Eschmann, Kulke and Tripathi.9 Historians date temple as a sacred document of its history, also 10 states that it was Anangabhima who instituted the the rule of Yayati I to the period 922-955. This thirty-six services or niyogas in the temple. The is one part of the story. king mentioned here is Anangabhima II. But other K.C. Panigrahi believes that the sources confirm that the ruler who was really Raktavahu invasion of Puri, which is mentioned important in the temple’s history was in the Madala Panji, refers to the military Anangabhima III. According to historians, campaign of the Rashtrakuta king Govinda III (r. Anangabhima III ruled from 1211 to 1238 AD.5 798-814). Based on this assumption, he argues The Madala Panji might have mistaken that the Puri temple was already in existence in Anangabhima II for his grandson of the same the eighth century. 11 This offers another angle to name. But there are also other difficulties with this the antiquity of the Puri temple. chronicle. The Dasgoba copperplate inscription Even if we disregard the story of Yayati of Anangabhima’s father Rajaraja III states that and Raktavahu, inscriptional sources confirm that the Puri temple was built by the latter’s grandfather the temple existed in the mid eleventh century. Anantavarman Chodaganga, who ruled for over The inscriptions have been examined exhaustively 6 seven decades from 1076 to 1147 AD. This by Kulke.12 It is worthwhile to briefly discuss the affirms that it was not Anangabhima III but inscriptions even at the risk of reproducing the Anantavarman who built the existing temple. One historical developments traced by Kulke, as it can reason for the error in the Madala Panji may be provide us with a perspective for further that it was a chronicle composed a long time after discussion. the construction of the temple. The text dates back only to the seventeenth century. By this time, the The Kalidindi grant of the Eastern historical memory of the temple’s construction Chalukya king Rajaraja Narendra refers to Sridhama as the abode of Purushottama, who is might have faded away. Legends and tell-tales 13 might have replaced historical facts. But this is called the Great Narayana. Sridhama is another not a very convincing answer. Anangabhima III name of Puri. The evidence of the Kalidindi grant appears to have played a decisive role in the is corroborated by the Nagpur inscription of the history of the Puri temple, which is why the Paramara king Lakshma, in which the king is compared with Purushottama through the poetic Madala Panji has placed him in such high device of double entente or slesa.14 This esteem, going to the extent of calling him the inscription is dated 1104 AD. builder of the temple. What was this historical role played by Anangabhima? This question has been Some scholars believe that the Jagannatha persuasively answered by Anncharlott Eschmann, cult was tribal in its origin. Eschmann makes the Herman Kulke and Gaya Charan Tripathi.7 following observation : 29 Odisha Review June - 2012 The Jagannatha cult is of tribal origin. The whose ears the cardinal points, whose eyes the legend of the Puri temple, the Indradyumna sun and moon and whose head the heaven legend, narrates that the deity was originally above? This task which has been hitherto worshipped by the aboriginal Sabara chief neglected by previous kings, was fulfilled by Visvavasu in the woods, and only later on the lord of the Gangas…. The ocean is the birth- miraculously appeared in Puri. Accordingly, the place of Lakshmi, so thinking, in his father-in- Jagannatha figures still display what seems to law’s house Vishnu lodged with some shame be a “tribal look”. The wooden figures may be though he got full adoration. Thus ashamed, called “crude” and certainly differ considerably Purushottama was glad to get his new house; from the images worshipped in other great Hindu and Lakshmi too, gladly preferred living in her temples which correspond exactly to the husband’s new house to living in her father’s described iconographical canons.15 house.18 All early inscriptions refer to the deity of The situation begins to alter during the Puri as Purushottama. The first known reign of Anangabhima III. In the Draksharama identification of the deity as Jagannatha comes inscription, dated 1216, he is hailed as from the Srikurmam inscription of Bhanudeva II, Purushottamaputra, Rudraputra and Durgaputra.19 which is dated to 1309 AD.16 The earlier name This might have been his first attempt to constitute occurs as Purushottama not only in inscriptions the trinity. Kulke writes that the three deities but also in literary works like Murari’s Sanskrit represent Purushottama of Puri, Lingaraja of play Anargharaghava. Here is Murari’s Bhubaneswar and Durga-Viraja of Jajpur 20 testimony: respectively. He then takes note of a series of shirts which occur in 1230 and 1231 AD: O ye spectators who have assembled on the occasion of the Yatra of Purushottama, the In an inscription at Bhubaneswar, dated 9.1.1230, exalted one, who is like a new sprout of the dark King Anangabhima is praised only as the son tamala tree growing in the forest in form of the of Purushottama; Durga and Rudra are no strand of the salt-ocean, who is a big blue longer mentioned. On 23.2.1230, after taking a sapphire which decorates the head of the three ritual bath in the Mahanadi, he donated land to worlds and who sports with Kamala by drawing Purushottama and his priests. Shortly afterwards, on 20.3.1230, his wife donated patterns with musk on her pitcher-like breasts.17 valuable presents to the God Allalanatha in far- It is clear from this description that the off Kanchipuram, and announced that her royal deities at Puri were Purushottama and his consort husband was the son of God Purushottama and Kamala (Lakshmi). There is no reference to the that he ruled under His divine order (adesa). Two months later, on 14.5.1230, king trinity in this text. The scenario continues to be Anangabhima undertook a pilgrimage to the same in the abovementioned Dasgoba Purushottama Kshetra and again donated land copperplate inscription, which is dated 1198 AD.