Alaarnath Temple

After the Snana Purnima in the month of Jyeshta, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Subhadra are kept away from public view, for a period of fifteen days, and all the daily rites in the Shreemandira are suspended. According to Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden deities, he had arranged this bathing ceremony. During this period, popularly known as ‘Anasara’ or ‘Anabasara’ (literally meaning ‘improper time for worship), instead of having darshan in Jagannath Temple, Puri peoples believe that Lord Jagannath during this time manifests as Alarnath Dev, at the Alarnath temple in Brahmagiri, which is about 23 km from Puri.

Due to ritualistic bathing using 108 vessels(suna garas) of water, there is a popular belief that the deities get fever and the their idols get discoloured. So the Supreme Trinity take rest in ‘Anasara Ghara’ and are treated by the Raja Vaidya(King’s Physician) using Dasamulas(medicine). During these fifteen days the Daitas (descendants of Viswavasu, the Savara), repaint and restore the Deities and Jagannath’s fineries. On the sixteenth day, called ‘Netrotsava'(festival for the eyes), the deities give the ‘Navayauvana’ darshan in their new appearance. According to the Shilpa Shastras and Agamas, the deities become suitable for worship only after the rite of ‘Chakshurunmilana'(opening of the eyes)

Thousands of devotees visit the temple during the period to have a darshan of Lord Jagannath as Alarnath Dev and to have the delicious Kheer bhog (Prasad) at the Alarnath temple. Pujapandas of Puri say as this Alarnath is the alternate besha of Lord Jagannath. During the ‘Anasara’ period, the great devotee Prabhu Chaitnya Dev had visited the temple, and had the Darshan of Lord Jagannath as Alarnath.

Historians point of view , Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Dev was visiting all day to Jagannath Temple for Lord Jagannath Darshana, but after Snana Purnima was over, Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Dev was not able to see Mahaprabhu in the temple and asked to all Pujapandas as where is my Prabhu Jagannath ? Pandas replied to him, as Sri Prabhu Chaitnya Maharaj ji now you can’t see Jagannath as He is suffering from fever , then Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Devji told them that if he would not get to see Him today then he will commit suicide in the Ocean, this time Lord Jagannath Himself told to Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Dev- O Chaitnya, I am doing a ‘leela’ in the form of Brahma in Brahmagiri, now you come to this place to have My Darshan,

It is believed that devotees get the same ‘phal’ here as they desire from a darshan of lord Jagannah in Puri.

The place got prominence when Sri Chaitanya came to see Alarnath as Lord Jagannath in the sixteenth century. Since then the place has become popular as the temporary abode of Lord jagannath.During these days, same amount of Prasad is offered to Alarnath everyday as it happens in Jagannath Temple in Puri. It is believed that within these fourteen days if one sees lord Alarnath, s/he is free from all the sins.

Here the lord is offered by ‘Payas’ or ‘Kheer’ Bhog prepared with milk and rice. This temporary abode of lord Jagannath is believed to be another specialty of Jagannath Cult.

In this temple Lord Vishnu is worshiped as Lord Alarnath. The deity has four arms, He holds chakra inHIS upper right hand, Lotus in his lower right hand, Conch in his upper left hand and club in his lower left hand, Lord Vishnu’s carrier eagle , known as Garuda, kneels at the feet of the deity with his hands folded in prayer position. The deities of Lord Krishna’s queens Rukmini and Satyabhama are also find inside the temple. Deity of Lord Chaitnya is also founded inside the temple. There os a stone slab in front of the deity which bears impression from Lord Chaitnya body. When Lord Chaitanya first lay in full respect in front of Lord Alarnath, the stone below Lord Chaitnya melted from His blissful touch . There is a lake behind the temple where Chandan Yatra is celebrated for 21 days in every year.

There is also an interesting ritual of offering the first copy of artistic compositions to Alarnath Dev by writers, poets and musicians.