The Cult of Jagannatha

The Cult of Jagannatha – Myths, Rituals presents a new approach to Orissan ethnicgraphy. This book is a stark contrast to dominant explanations that are based on tribal influences and history of aryanisation. It provides ample evidence of the importance of religious orthodoxy. Sharp demographic and sociological discontinuities are evident in the transition from Orissa’s coastal region to Orissa’s inland regions. These regional differences may be a result of aryanisation. Ethnological accounts rely most often on historical reconstructions of this process. It is believed that the Delta plain was influenced by the native communities, particularly those that were connected to the city of Puri or the temple of Jagannatha. Puri’s religious system is based on rituals and myths that show that sacrificial symbolism is a central part of its religious system. The building of the great Temple is implicitly linked to an inaugural asvamedha (the Vedic Horse Sacrifice), and it can still be seen as a transformation from the brick-fire altar. These connections are further supported by an impressive network of Vedic and Hindu orthodox representations. This recognition of orthodoxy brings us back to the “uniqueities” of local traditions. How do we interpret the iconographic “specificity”, Puri’s deities display? What should the Sudra ritualists at the great temple be considered? These questions are answered in the new book. As puzzling as this may seem, Orissan ethnography’s “strangeness”, while it is not easy to understand, is an extremely coherent expression of Indian traditions.