vana.

Everyone LSri
iasa-murti Sri n
Rmanujcryafollows:as
avadv+pa-dhma-mhtmya,
That isknows
Nryana,
Krsna Krsna, Simantadvipa
Jaganntha
Came toLord
How
is
fully is the
the Lord O0
anifest
supreme
of
Goloka.
in Lord
the Truth,
form and That Jaganntha
of He Krsna,
rahari,resides
whose
instructs
in
 20
ISKCON.
charming Village
appeared, JustGaurahari,"
GaurDga,and God.Godhead
yuga-dharma Only ruth,energy. abode devotion you
a L0out
ot few He the say uama, that d
for
Simply within dhama
templeRjpur. situatedkilometers is
assumed devotees that the
known the the
wil Vrndvana
of the Navadvipa scent c has
of highest by dwindle topmost
Within on nâma-sankirtana, malerial
Lord by the can reading appcared
ol
the away the formunderstand mâyâ. is LORD
Jagann that top from truth day partof is abode infully
names scriptures world JAGANNATH
lovely of of by This within
a the a surpasses manifest
ha, hill place devotee
of byday. is
which rural Sri the by My Bhü-mandala, the the the IN
in My
one I RAJAPUR
Caitanya Supreme desire have in
area
Simantadvipa, where materialverdict universe.
is immersed mercy." all will the
now one placed
Lord
reasoning not and form
of
managed can get world, the
Mahprabhu, Personality Toinconceivable
this yet By of
find
Gaurnga in the scripture.
teach it
My
is love power. highest spiritual
then remains Navadvipa-
b) the th e
of of the your mercy
If

hievousnessdevotees ireligiousappeared (whichAround

terrorizing "the
historical Zrila the Lord visiting one Puri,
glories Master Jacan
gan th a. Whoever
is
means the
BhaktivinodaJaganntha the attain
of in cternally
Lord the and seventh offacts of Sri Itvisits How
the Sri by is
heartscaused one
Navadvipa-dhmna." is
of Sri LORD
Jaganntha region his Nilãcala of Seventh
Century
History
Jaganntha VISitingmanifest stated
whose
century, Thäkura
Raktabâhu, ofgreat Sri in JAGANNÄTHA
Navadvipa
book the
the of in
devastation, hands one Simantadvipa
Dhma
has
Jagannatha
Mandir th[stras
is
inpious Orissa. Sri
CAME
they Puri Yavana
are
people reestablished
Navadvipa-dhma-mâhtmya, Rjpur. in holy that must
TO
became came He
alwavs Jaganntha Puri place Sri SitakeMANTADv0PA
destroying was king is
in not may andK_etra,
very to
wetnamed
very dar[ana
knowOrissa. this different bethat
much with Puri) or
temples sintulRaktabhu, truth achievedJaganntha
al
about When Himself. of
blood), benefits
atraid. with from Lord
the the and and by
21
 They inmediately
approached Lord Jagannha:
Lord," the devotees prayed, "we "O
that a miscreant named
are in great
anxiety worshipul
Raktabhu
and destroving the Deiies
is breaking down al]
inside. He is now
knowi
templnegs
direction. He may come at any moment and proceeding this
attack
in
If that happens, then we
will have to give Your temple.
up our lives,
we'll never be able to
save us from this
tolerate any action against
You. because
danger by making proper Please,
the
protecion of Your divine fornm and the arrangements for
temple, O
Lord!"
Almighty
Being thus approached by his devotees, Lord
appeared in the dream of the head priest that Jaganntha
him as follows: My dear
night and spoke to
pkjri, I am completely
by perceiving the ardent love overwhelmed
and devotion that you devotees
have for Me. You all love Me
more than your own self. This is
the
symptom of a pure devotee. Actually nobody can
harm My
divine form or My temple. Icertainly need
not worry about that.
Just by My powerful will Ican keep
all miscreants away from
the place where I stay with My
beloved devotees. But in order to
22
"O worshipful Lord," the devotees prayed.
 bless My devotees and to reciprOcate with
accept this kind of hardship' willingly. Inthem, many
his times How LoRD JAGANNÄTHA CAME TO SIMANTADVIPA
love and attachment for Me
increases manifoldway My
is their desire, Iestablish their love for Me in And sidencevote s
a more prominent
When the message reached the Zabaras that the Lord wanted
way. Tomorrow, therefore, please, remove the this to leave for Bengal, they immediately made all necessary
Lord Balarma, and Subhadrã Devi and Deities of
arrangements for departure the next morning, They walked all

BengalMys. Youeli
set out
should take the path through the jungle so th for day and just before dusk set in,they settled in a suitable place.

escape Raktabahu, who is coming by the

that you can There they collected fruits, flowers, and leaves from the jungle

fear, Iwill always protect you!" main road. easily and worshipped Their Lordships. Finally they put Them to rest,
Have no and after honoring the Lord's mahä-prasdam they themselves
took rest. The next morning, after the Deities had been
The Lord then disappeared from the worshipped, the Sabaras again started for their destination. In
dream and the
message, which püjari woke
up Heimmcd.«c hroadcast the this way they spent eleven days,and on the twelfth they arrived
der otees, and tt varted to make the
proper
stirred the in Simantadvipa,one of the nine islands of Navadvipa Dhäma.
for the Lords
arrangements That night, Lord Jaganntha appeared in the dream of the head
Zabara and expressed His desire to settle in this very place,
Ih raditiona, s of service to the Lord in which was transcendental in all respects. At once, the Sabara
is hai devotees it Jagannätha Puri devotees made all efforts for the proper arrangements to fulfîll
diiferent sections of society are assigned
or instance, the Lord's desire to stay there permanently.
ior worsh1p of the deities. Brahmnas are responsible
Other devotees cook for the Lord's
plcasure. Those devO. ces known as the The Sabara Vaisnavas went on serving the Lord for generations
Sabaras perform the
service carrying Sri Sri Jaganntha,
of tocome. Due totheir pure love and devotion they all attained
Deviwhen Their Lordships Baladeva, and Subhadrã liberation and finally went back to Godhead, to LordJaganntha's
attend certain festivals like snna
y'atra, etc. eternal abode in the spiritual sky. Till today the Zabara's village
24
is located near the Jaganntha temple and is known as Sabara
25
 26
a One their the Sri most
serious He
900km though Jagadisa
Jaganntha, My£pur. At Lord, ime,thedangà,
ofthe
day ecstatic would
homes dear the
Jagadi[a's
disease journey however,
he time place
"thc
Rathayr.in Lord ravel Jagadi[a
was Ganguli
Bengal. Baladeva, of disappeared
temple
Deities
that Caitanya, with onvery never
happiness foot lived Sri History
century
left was Caitanya Sixteenth andthe of
After other old, lelt the LORD
to
him and a in JGANNATH
haveJaganntha stillhighly a influence
that Sabaras.by
was four devotees small
totally Subhadr
dar[ana every Mahprabhu, place
ruined. months
elevated village IN
blind. from Puri year Gradually, RAJArUR
Devi, of
He they
When Their Bengal on he near
was and Vai_nava
would the would a
stricken the
devotee
participate Lordships to Bay sight.
from
The
he
return meet present-day
realized ofmake and
Bengal.
with their named
even
to in Sri the

have
because Lord and his daily The Then even
constant take long .et and hat
immediately
vanish.
would
completion
go him and he his the
to vision. bath next oneconsidered
explainedto could
insist, he morning, along toofriends
lamentation Jagannâtha
a The in night
of was nearby How
the dangerOus no
this and a Lord Lord withconsidered longer oR
leper also Gangâ the
committing
job,
convince village
that told Jaganntha and them. Deities, JAGANNÁTHHA
the and Lord
a see
tor
Jagadi[a log
thewhere despondency. he the
Lord had told suicide. Jagadi[a a the
the carpenter would bindannualbecame divine CAM
assured, deformed a
him,
appeared
carpenter ro
devotee-carpenter that
touch when remained man
would he Out p1lgrimage very fornsSIANTADV
the hands. to and
to
should Jagadi[a
his Jagadi[a of of
carpenter's depressed. 1PA
do head in they
Lord
Jagadi[a refuse hopelessness
this take Navadvipa to
and went in refused
work. the lives. that a Puri Caitanya
restore dream.
for Worse
leprosy would work too
On
The log his he in to
27
 LORD JAGANNATH IN RAJAPUR JAGANN CAME IO SIMANTADVIPA
How LORD
dream. This time Lord
Upon awakening, Jagadi[a was amazed at his dream nights later, Jagadi[a had another
A few neem wOod to
immediately left for his morning bath in the GaDg and becama to take some nearby
Jaganntha instructed him Subhadr and
deities of
ecstatic when a log touched his head and restored his vision 1, and have him make
.he same carpenter next
installed Them in the temple
took the wood and went to a nearby village, where he searched Balaräma. Jagadi[a did so and
andsearched until he found a leper-carpenter. Jagadi[a implored to Lord Jaganntha.
theleper to carve a deity of Lord Jaganntha from the wood. bur
of Jagadi[a Ganguli, the
the carpenter flatly refused. He showed Jagadi[a his deformed Iegend has it that after the demise
of His worship,
fingers and asked him, "How is it possible for me to carve the
Lord. being dissatisfied with the neglectful state
divine form of the Lord with these hands?" But Jagadi[a Suddenly there was an
insisted. decided to end His manifest pastimes.
He explained to the leper that his leprosy would be
cured once outbreak of cholera. The inhabitants of the surrounding area
he finished the carving. Finally the leper
agreed. assembled at the temple and prayed to Prabhu Jaganntha to
have pity on them and save their lives. That night, Jaganntha
Jagadi[a stayed with the leper as he was working and One of the
saw him came to the head priest in a dream and said,
suffering terribly. Blood and pus o0zed from the
were once his fingers and he stumps that housewives of the Gangulifamily, who is characterless, dared to
wanted to quit the work. But dishonour me. For this offense everyone in the Ganguli family
Jagadi[a encouraged him and enabled
long enough to finish the him to forget his agony
deity of Lord and the village will die if they do not leave the place." The next
moment finished, his leprosy
he Jaganntha. The very morning the villagers found the members of the Ganguli family
disappeared. dead and immediately deserted the entire area.
Jagadi[a took the deity to a site
near the
temple and established His present Jaganntha
28
worship there. Since there was no more worship at the temple, Lord Jaganntha,
 Subhadrã, and Balarma were forgotten, and save for
the
roof over Their heads, the temple fell down around {lat
was soon covered by the surrounding jungle. Them and
 REAPPEARANCE OF LORD JAGANNÁTHA

snake-infested ruin that was once Lord Jagann ha's temple.

When they
went nearthe mound they heard a voice calling,
Me water, I am thirsty! Please give Me water." But
"Please give
the temple had no owner and people were reluctant to
because
near it due to fear of
poisonous Snakes and other wild beasts,
go
remained neglected. It wasn't until about 1958 when
deities
the
.Lord. Who once again desired to be worshipped, called for
Jaimini Ghosh.

The Mystical Experiences of Jaimini Ghosh

II
Jaimini Ghosh (from the nearby village of Bahadurpur) was
recalls:
oniy a young man at that time and he
Reappearance of
Lord Jaganntha
1e evening on my way to Navadvipa, I was passing along
or reasons U road just outside the Jaganntha temple, when a bamboo
F disappears according
mysterious to
most, the Lord
appears
to His own sweet will. Indeed He
and
L crashed across the path. Feeling an uncanny presence, I
states that one who understands the SDected the work of some ghost and I knew that ifIstepped
and activities does not take birth
mystery of His appearance
again in the material world. er the tree, something would happen to me. Gripped by fear,
rouched to the ground and in that terrified condition I lost
Centuries after the demise of the
Ganguli family, villagers consciousness.." He awoke to an assuring voice saying, "1t's
noticed a uniquely beautiful blue flower
growing on top of the alright now, you may proceed, there is no more danger."
 LORD JAGANNATH IN RuJAPUR REAPPEARANCE OF LORD JAGANNÁTHA

Jaimini said, "Why did you do that to me?" next to the

nll temple (which can still be seen at the site
"l didn'," replied the voice. "Isaved you, Iam your friend > and banyan tree) was constructed for Themn and
Siva lingam
Suspicious, Jaimini replied, If you saved me, if you really are Phatik Chatterjee became the pkjâri for Their Lordships. In
my friend and want to help me, then help me he was concermed over who would continue the
get to my uncle's his old age
house in Navadvipa."
worship ofthe deities as he had no sons. Then in 1978, during
festival. Iskcon devotees came there during
the Gaur Purnima
As if he were being carried, young
Jaimini effortlessly sped parikrama. When Phatik saw the enthusiastic devotees from all
down the jungle path, along the main road,
across the Ganges voUndthe world he became inspired and he asked His Holiness
(without a boat) and arrived safely at his uncle
house. Javapataka Maharaja if Iskcon would like to take care of the
Shortly after, the same voice spoke to him, temple of Lord Jagannath. Jayapataka Maharaja addressed the
be Lord Jaganntha, and told revealing Himself to ssembled devotees, "would you all like to take over the seva
Jaimini to begin His worship by of Lord Jagannath?" and everyone spontaneously chanted "Hari
offering Ganges water, milk, and batasa
called Phatik (sugar sweet). Jaimini bol!" So then Phatik donated the temple and property to lskcon
Chatterjee. who was the owner of the land on
the temple was which and by the kind contribution of various devotees a wonderful
situated, and told him everything.
his son-in-law Ram and Phatik, with temple has been constructed, surrounded by nice gardens and
and lifted
other villagers, cleared away the
Jaganntha from jungle mango groves.
Deities had been residing in under
a termite hill.
the middle of a Although the
wooden forms were termite hill, Their These historical deities of Jaganntha,
been packed in miraculously intact, Their bodies having Baladeva, and Subhadr
have been here at least 500years, and we shall
frankincense. Only some parts of
Subhadr¥'s bodies had to be repaired Baladeva and some of Their more recent pastimes.
try now to narrate
neem wood from a tree in by a
Phatik Chatterjee'ssculptor
garden.
who used
34
 PASTIMES FROM 1950's TO 1970s

daughters. After
he moved to Katwa to protect his
nearby. So went to him and
time the head man of the community
Some
"Please come back to Rjpur." Phatik Chatterjee
asked him,
that in the volatile situation he was fearful
refused explaining
safety. The Muslim said, "Don't worry. We
for his daughters'
all protection." Phatik again politely refused. Then
will give you
said, "Actually ever since you left, we have been
the Muslim
Losring voices coming trom the temple. They are saying, Why
isn't anyone coming anymore? \Why no one is feeding us?" We
III
ofeeling very disturbed, please come back and we promise to
iNe vOu atwenty-four hour guard." So then he agreed to come
Pastimes From 1950's to 1970s back and the villagers gave full protection.
Lord Jagarnntha's Mercy on Phatik Chatterjee's Family
Narrated by Gauri, the
Sri Phatik Chatterjee youngest daughter of
"I saw a light hovering over you!"

while one of Phatik Chatterjee's daughters was getting married,

"Why is no one feeding us!" ome men turned up who he suspected were thieves. But since
he wedding was under way, he invited them in saying, "Please
Dcommunal Bangladesh inwar in 197l, there was
uring the
a lot of
come, eat something." Later on the men went to one side and
previous owner of theagitation India. Phatik were discussing amongst themselves. Phatik was
watching them
afraid living here temple, had seven daughters.Chatterjee,
He
the carefully because everyone knows a wedding
because there is a large was a little gold around andso he was a litle
means there is
Muslim community nervous. Then the
discussion
became heated and they began to argue
amongst themselves,
 LORD J\GANNAfH IN RAJAPUR PASTIMS FROM 1950's To 1970s

which drew a lot of attention to them. Finally they left. A

nights laler, their leader came back and knocked on few
door and said, "Iwant to spcak to you. Phatik's
Phatik said, "l am not going to open the door, please don'y
mind."

But the thicf was insistent that he hear him. "lwant to te]l vo.
something. Actually that night of the wedding, we came to roh
you. And while we were planning how to do it, I
sawv a light
comng lrom Jagannatha's tenple and hovering over you. I
that it was not an ordinary hing. I knew
Isaw and told them, We
described to the others what
won't be successful in our job, better
we don't do anything
to go ahcad with the
tonight.' But sone members who
wanted
robbery became angry. and the heated
discussion that followed caused everyone to
we had to leave. Ihave notice us,
and so
come here to ask
have seen how youforgiveness because
vou are a special soul. 1
Lord were protected by
Jagannath." Thus
protected Their püjari. lagannätha, Baladeva, and Subhadrå

Unusual Footprint
One
Snàna-vatra day,Phatik Babu's wife,
ill. She was
most upset that she Nirmala Devi,
was unable to go to was verr
the temple
"Isaw a light hovering over
you!"
 LosD JAGANNATH IN RJAPLR PASTIMES FROM 1950's TO 1970s

to attend the festival. There was heavy rain that day and Gauri tried to attract Kalpana's
Instead of going back,
festival was oveT, Phatik Babu on returning to his house.
after
the Gauri.
attentionto these images
in front of her. But despite all efforts
muddy footprints on the floor, leading to Nirmala's
saw big could not see Them, and she turmed and went away.
On entering the room he was astonished to see a bedroom. Kalpana
followedKalpana but she did not reveal anything of what
footprint
Nirmala's back and all the sickness had lett her. He realized thason
Gauri
happened. The next day Jaimini Ghosh, under inspiration
had
the footprints were of none other than Jagannthaji Himself asked Gauri to tell her parents if she saw
Jaganntha,
from Lord
He at once took some dust of that footprint and placed it on unusual last night. Then Gauri narrated the above
his anything
own head.
incident.
Jagannath charandhuli ki jai.
The following stories were narrated by Dilip Bhattacharya,
"Did yOu see anything unusual last night?" grandson of Sri Phatik Chatterjee
Phatik Babu used to worship mother Kali and one
a goat for
time he bought Jaganntha Removes Darkness
sacrificing. Somehow or other the goat
Many persons were deployed to search out disappeared.
the goat, but in vain. Vhen Dilip was approximately 10 years old, he and his elder
Gauri, the youngest daughter of
Phatik
search for that goat along with her Babu, also went out to h other, plus two other cousin brothers, were given upanayam
niece, Kalpana. While out b Phatik Chatterjee, who was very keen on making them
searching Gauri suddenly saw the beautiful
Jaganntha Krishna in front of her. Their images of Lord
and orshippers of Lord Jaganntha. As per the ritual, the boys
black and Their bodies colour was deep Vere kept inside for three days and only on the fourth day were
were fully
They had crowns that
made Them so
decorated with ornanents. Liey allowed out. At that time the boys, who were very
excited
both of Them were attractive.
laughing.Meanwhile KalpanaGauri saw that
called out for
about having a clean-shaved head and wooden peg shoes,
40
thought of going to the nearby market at Bamanpukur. It was
 |970,
PASIMES FROM 1950's ro
LORD JAGANNATH IN RAJAPUR
was quickly
called out "Fire fire, come quickly." She
carly evening by the time they returned, and along the way
they others and they saw a strong blue light emanating
suddenly felt a very fearful presence, and so they all hudd3 joined by
nthe temple. But upon opening the door surprisingly the
up together. Phatik Chatterjee had instructed them that if frankincense
they vanished but there was a very sweet scent of
ever felt frightened, they should chant the Hare Krsna mantro light
pervading the room.
Jaganntha's name, and the Gâyatri mnantra. So they began to
chant the mantras. Then suddenly they saw a brilliant blue light "Don't leave this place."
coming from the temple [ikhara, shooting up into the sky and
lighting up the entire area. The boys still huddled up managed fter the temple was given to lskcon and Phatik Chatteriee left
A
with great effort to drag themselves away from that place
until bis body (in 1986), Dilip's father, Ram Bhattacharjee-who
they reached their house where they fell flat on bad been assisting Phatik for many years decided to return
the floor. They
told Phatik Chatterjee of what had
happened to them, and he to Belpukur, where he had his own house and property, and
told them that Lord Jaganntha had
protected them. tle there. That same night both Ram and his wife both had
irtling experiences. Ram's wife started foaming at the mouth
Effulgence from the Temple d Ram started choking,his eyes bulging in their sockets. After
One evening while me time they returned to normal, but they were left shaken.
approaching the temple to offer a lamp to ter on in the morning,Lord Jagannha appeared before Ram,
Jagannath, Dilip's mother saw from a
lot of light shining distance that there was a tting on his chest, telling him that he cannot leave this place.
from inside the
through the cracks of the doors
and
temple. She became alarmed that windows ) Ram declared that as long as he lived, he will not move
rat had maybe a
knocked over the lamp and the nywhere. He also advised his children (Dilip and brother) to
42
temple had caught
 LORD JAGANNATH IN RAJAPUR PASTIMES FROM 1950's ro 1970s

do the same. Later they built a house just 500 Brahmnas from a local village felt they
could offer Lord
metres away from Some
Jagannätha temple. Jagann tha a better
standard of worship and wanted to take
came and kidnapped
Him to their village. So one day they
"l must take dar[ana of Jaganntha." Jaganntha. While carrying Him across the fields, they all
Lord
to answer nature's call, so they put Lord
suddenlyfelt the need
After Dilip's parentspassed away, on several occasions Dilip tried Jaganntha down and went to relieve themselves. But upon
to move back to Belpukur or other places found that they could not lift Lord Jaganntha,
where he could earn returning they
a better income, but Lord back to their village and brought more men
Jaganntha would come to him in bie and so they went
dreams and, sometimes lovingly and other times . help them. Despite their many attempts, however, even with
tell himn not to move away from Him.
threateningly.
Dilip says, "If I don't visit rhirteen men they could not budge the Lord. Then they realized
Jaganntha every couple of days, everything in the house gets .hat He didn't want to leave Rjpur, So they came back and,
disturbed and life becomes very irritating. And placing straw in their mouths, they told the priests, "We have
still now, so
many problems I constantly face, I just go made a big offense to Lord Jagannath; He is out in the field
and inform Dada (a
name he has lovingly called Lord ndwe cannot move Him, you please bring Him back." So two
which means elder brother), and Jaganntha since childhood,
sure enough within no time it üjr+s went and easily picked up Lord Jagannath and carried
all settles down."
lim back home. Jagannath mahima siddhi ki jai
Stories From Other
Sources
Epidemic

Lord Jaganntha
Didn't Want to Leave Once there was a very serious epidemic in this area; a lot of
44
people were getting sick and some of them were dying. Lord