Nilachal
Encyclopedia
The abode of Hindu
deity Jagannath
at Puri
is known as the Nilachal or Niladri, [Nila (Blue) + Achal (Mount] meaning, The Blue Mountain. The Nilachal is a principal and recurring motif in the Jagannath cult.
The Nilachal is a place of high religious significance in Hinduism
and is one of the four Char Dham
s. Religious teachers like Shri Ramanuja
Acharya, Swami Vishnuswami
visited Nilachal in the Twelfth century and established a matha
s. Shri Nimbarka
Acharya also visited Puri, as also Guru Nanak Dev and many other Acharyas. Shri Chaitanya spent 18 years at Nilachal dhama.
As per religious myths and the Skanda Purana
, mythical King Indradyumna of Avanti
once dreamt of the great deity Nila Madhava (Blue Madhava) being worshipped at the Nilachal mount. The King sent out many priests and messengers in the search of the elusive deity Nila Madhava. Finaly, Vidyapati
, one of the priests of King Indradyumna located Nilachal as well as Nila Madhava at the Purusottam Kshetra (The land of the Supreme Being) and took the news back to the King. However, as per divine designs, the Nila Madhava deity vanished before Indradyumna could undertakedarshan
. But, subsequently, propitiated, the God appeared as Jagannath at Nilachal.
Geographically, though, there is no such apparent geographic structure at Puri, the township being located at the coastal plains of Eastern Orissa
. Such a reference to a seemingly non-existent mountain has been a matter of debate which throws light on the origin of the deity.
in "The Advent of Vishnuism in Orissa: An Outline of its History According to Archaeological and Epigraphical Sources from the Gupta Period up to 1135 AD." in A. Eschmann et al., The Cult of Jagannath and the Regional Tradition of Orissa, Delhi: Manohar, pp. 1–30, hypothesizes the actual existence of a mountain at Puri in the past and notes the following:
Yet contrary to such opinion, the platform of the Jagannath temple, seems to be a totally man-made monument, not a modified natural hill. The Nilachal consists almost entirely of a platform, and at its north—western foot lies an artificial cave. This is approximately 25 feet below the level of the inner enclosure, for a staircase of about twenty steps leads down to the sanctum of deity Patalesvara Shiva
, and gives some idea of the level of the original terrain. The site was obviously exposed to flooding during the monsoon season as once the river touched its lowest steps when it flowed in the broad road just in front of the temp
In the 19th century, certain scholars have imagined that the Nilachal (Blue Hill) concealed the debris of a former Buddhist monument named Dantapura
. However, Puri cannot be identified with Dantapura and so far no Buddhist remains have been discovered there.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
deity Jagannath
Jagannath
Jagannath is a transcendental non-anthropotheistic Hindu god worshiped primarily by the people of Indian state of Orissa, and, to a great extent, West Bengal...
at Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
is known as the Nilachal or Niladri, [Nila (Blue) + Achal (Mount] meaning, The Blue Mountain. The Nilachal is a principal and recurring motif in the Jagannath cult.
The Nilachal is a place of high religious significance in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and is one of the four Char Dham
Char Dham
The Chota Char Dham , is an important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas...
s. Religious teachers like Shri Ramanuja
Ramanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
Acharya, Swami Vishnuswami
Vishnuswami
Vishnuswami was a Hindu religious leader. He is primarily known for having started the Rudra sampradaya....
visited Nilachal in the Twelfth century and established a matha
Matha
A matha ) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of Hinduism and Jainism. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram.-Advaita Mathas:...
s. Shri Nimbarka
Nimbarka
Nimbarka , is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology of Dvaitadvaita, duality in unity. According to scholars headed by Prof. Roma Bose, he lived in the 13th Century, on the assumption that Śrī Nimbārkācārya was the author of the work Madhvamukhamardana...
Acharya also visited Puri, as also Guru Nanak Dev and many other Acharyas. Shri Chaitanya spent 18 years at Nilachal dhama.
As per religious myths and the Skanda Purana
Skanda Purana
The Skanda Purana is the largest Mahapurana, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text is devoted mainly to the lilas of Kartikeya , a son of Shiva and Parvati. It also contains a number of legends about Shiva, and the holy places associated with him...
, mythical King Indradyumna of Avanti
Avanti
Avanti may refer to:* Avanti , a UK Government sponsored programme to assist construction project partners to work together more effectively...
once dreamt of the great deity Nila Madhava (Blue Madhava) being worshipped at the Nilachal mount. The King sent out many priests and messengers in the search of the elusive deity Nila Madhava. Finaly, Vidyapati
Vidyapati
Vidyapati Thakur , also known by the sobriquet Maithil Kavi Kokil was a Maithili poet and a Sanskrit writer. He was born in the village of Bishphi in Madhubani district of Bihar state, India. He was son of Ganapati...
, one of the priests of King Indradyumna located Nilachal as well as Nila Madhava at the Purusottam Kshetra (The land of the Supreme Being) and took the news back to the King. However, as per divine designs, the Nila Madhava deity vanished before Indradyumna could undertakedarshan
Darshan
or Darshan is a Sanskrit term meaning "sight" , vision, apparition, or glimpse. It is most commonly used for "visions of the divine" in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity , or a very holy person or artifact...
. But, subsequently, propitiated, the God appeared as Jagannath at Nilachal.
Geographically, though, there is no such apparent geographic structure at Puri, the township being located at the coastal plains of Eastern Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. Such a reference to a seemingly non-existent mountain has been a matter of debate which throws light on the origin of the deity.
Hypothesis 1
Indologist and Jagannath cult researcher, Heinrich von StietencronHeinrich von Stietencron
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Freiherr Von Stietencron is an Indologist, epigrapher, presently the Director, Orissa Project-II, funded by the German Research Foundation and also the Emeritus Professor of Indology at University of Tübingen in Germany. Dr...
in "The Advent of Vishnuism in Orissa: An Outline of its History According to Archaeological and Epigraphical Sources from the Gupta Period up to 1135 AD." in A. Eschmann et al., The Cult of Jagannath and the Regional Tradition of Orissa, Delhi: Manohar, pp. 1–30, hypothesizes the actual existence of a mountain at Puri in the past and notes the following:
Yet contrary to such opinion, the platform of the Jagannath temple, seems to be a totally man-made monument, not a modified natural hill. The Nilachal consists almost entirely of a platform, and at its north—western foot lies an artificial cave. This is approximately 25 feet below the level of the inner enclosure, for a staircase of about twenty steps leads down to the sanctum of deity Patalesvara Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, and gives some idea of the level of the original terrain. The site was obviously exposed to flooding during the monsoon season as once the river touched its lowest steps when it flowed in the broad road just in front of the temp
Hypothesis 2
Another hypothesis regarding the naming of Puri as 'Nilachal' has been advanced by the noted historian, Dr. Krishna Chandra Panigrahi, in his "History of Orissa", pp. 338–339. It has been argued that no mountain existed at the Jagannath shrine, and:“"Then the Bhaumas came from AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
in the first part of the eighth century A.D., ruled over OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, obtained the shrine from the Savaras, got the temple built on the spot and gave it the name NilachalaKamakhya TempleThe Kamakhya Temple is a Shakti Peeth temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India. It is the main temple in a complex of individual temples dedicated to different forms of the mother goddess as the Dasa Mahavidya, including Bhuvaneshvari, Bagalamukhi,...
, which was the name of the famous shrine of KamakhyaKamakhya TempleThe Kamakhya Temple is a Shakti Peeth temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India. It is the main temple in a complex of individual temples dedicated to different forms of the mother goddess as the Dasa Mahavidya, including Bhuvaneshvari, Bagalamukhi,...
in their homeland of AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
.".”
In the 19th century, certain scholars have imagined that the Nilachal (Blue Hill) concealed the debris of a former Buddhist monument named Dantapura
Dantapura
Dantapura was mentioned as the capital of Kalinga in the epic Mahabharata . Sahadeva the Pandava general had visited this city. Kalinga is mentioned to have another capital named Rajapura....
. However, Puri cannot be identified with Dantapura and so far no Buddhist remains have been discovered there.
See also
- JagannathJagannathJagannath is a transcendental non-anthropotheistic Hindu god worshiped primarily by the people of Indian state of Orissa, and, to a great extent, West Bengal...
- Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa, India
- Puri, Orissa