The Eternal Mystery Of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath

Last Patali of Mahapravu at Ganjam-Attahgarh-Marada-1733-35 A.D.

MAHAPRABHU SHREE JAGANNATH (BAPA) IS ABSOLUTE TRUE, OTHER THAN HIM ARE RELATIVELY TRUE….

For last time in 1733 A.D. Takkikhan attacked upon the temple. Before it, for his continuous attack, the Sevayats had taken the Mahapravu to Chilika, Banapur, Nayagarh. At last in 1733 A.D, the Sevayats had taken Mahapravu Shree Jagannath through the densely forest of Athagarh and a temple had built there in which Mahapravu Shree Jagannath had secretly worshipped for 3 years. The name of the temple was Marada. The Muslim invader Takkikhan could not know about this place in spite of his many inquiries. From this period, there was not any attack upon the temple by any Muslim iconoclast. From 1568 A.D to 1733 A.D. for long 165 years many temples had been built secretly for Mahapravu Shree Jagannath. We found many archaeological findings in many places in which Mahapravu Shree Jagannath had secretly dwelt. Even today the temple of Marada still existed which is very important from sculptural point of view.

From this above discussion, it is noted that due to Muslim attack Mahapravu Shree Jagannath maintained secret dwelling in many places. When the Sevayats had anticipated the attack of Mughals, suddenly they had taken secretly Mahapravu Shree Jagannath to different places through land and sea route by huge wheeled wooden cart and boat. For more than 30 years the ‘Mahapravu of World’ was thus entirely free from His Ratnasinghasana in Puri during the reign of Aurangzeb was forcibly put under lock and key in his temple. It is too understandable that Kalapad in Odisha became the embodiment of a furious iconoclast and the successive treatment of the Mahapravu Shree Jagannath cult under the Mughals is taken as an example of the religious intolerance of Muslim rulers of India against Hinduism. The role of the then kings for the restoration of Mahapravu Shree Jagannath cult was also very important matter during that time. Like true devotees, they tried their best for the safe transfer of Mahapravu Shree Jagannath from temple to different places. It is noted that to what extent the power struggle was occurred in central Odisha since the late 16th century was actually a struggle for dominance over the Mahapravu Shree Jagannath temple. It was a tripartite struggle between the Rajas of Khurda, the Muslim Governors at Cuttack and to some extent the priests of Mahapravu Shree Jagannath temple .

In this way Mahapravu Shree Jagannath is the supreme authority of entire Universe. The entire world is guided by Him. As the nerve centre of the human body influences every physical part of it, so also the institution of Mahapravu Shree Jagannath influences every sphere of life—cultural, social and religious. A religion and its deity are the products of spiritual and moral uplift of the people and the community. Many legends and histories are related with him and the truth is applicable to the concept of Mahapravu Shree Jagannath, so verily Mahapravu is the symbol of truth. This powerful deity thus helped to bridge the gulf between the ruler and the ruled.