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History of Jainism in Orissa
JAINISM AND JAGANNATHA CULT
The political greatness of Orissa is long past, but her religious greatness continues unabated. Her temples, images and many other monuments that stand proudly today rising above the ravages of time bear eloquent testimony to her predominence in the religious sphere and established beyond doubt the antiquity of the sanctity of the soil. Most of the monuments now stand were the centres of varied activities of a brave race vibrating with rich gay life. Their Gods and Goddesses, their temples and stupas and all that they held so dear have become a proud heritage to the present Oriya people. Out of these Gods and Goddesses, Tathāgatas and Tirthankaras, has emerged the great Lord Jagannātha, as the sole representative of all the extinct Gods and Goddessses embodying in Him the chief elements of all. So the cult of Jagannātha, is a curious mixture of Many elements hetrogeneous and homogeneous wielded to one through a long synthetic process of evolution. In short Jagannathism if we may say so is the synthetic epitome of the different Indian cults that had gained currency among the people in different periods of history.
The points of Jaina affinity with Jagannātha cult are so many and so intimate that one may legitimately consider if Jagannātha is really not a by-product of Jainism which is the older creed. Puri is the land of Jagannātha as the great Jagannātha temple is located here. He is worshipped here along with Balarāma, Subhadrā and Sudarśana. There are a number of ceremonies associated with these deities which may have been derived from Jaina religion and its practices.
The deities are taken out in decorated chariots pulled by people in the main road (Badadanda) during car festival (Rathajātrā) and its return festival (Vāhudājātrā) every year. The deities are bathed ceremoniously (Snānjatra). The body of the deities changed and fresh images are substituted periodically, the connected festival is called Nava Kalevara.
The Rathajātrā seems to be an idea taken from Jainism. The structure of the Rathas or chariots are like Jaina chaityas. In Puri Rathajātrā is held traditionally on the second day of the full moon in Asādha (June-July). This day is considered sacred. Any type of good work may be performed on that day as it is regarded as auspicious day (Kalyanaka di vasa). The Jainas believe that on the day of the second full moon in Āsādha, the first Tirthankara Rşabha was conceived for which Chaitya Jātra or Rathajātrā is observed.
Like the Snāna jātra (the bathing ceremony) of Lord Jagannātha, the Jaina deities also have their Abhişeka and Snāna ceremonies. The custom of colouring Lord Jagannātha's eyes and the Nava Jauvana dress after his snāna remind one of the same with the Jina idols.
It should be borne in mind that if the moon remains in the constellation of Puşya star on the same day the cars are drawn to the Gundicha temple, the festival is regarded specially auspicious. In that case, the moon reaches the constellation of the Uttară.
