Jagannath Temple Delhi

Dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Jagannath Temple is an intimation of that of in Puri, and thus, is one of the prime Hindu religious centres in Delhi, especially for Oriya community. Situated in Tyagraj Nagar in Hauz Khas, this beautiful temple dates back to 1969. Initially, because of limited resources, a small was built by Sree Neelachala Seva Sangh to commemorate Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra. Later in 1991, the reconstruction of the temple started and finally, on 28th January 1999, the present temple was inaugurated. Inside the temple complex, there is also a library which houses a rare collection of religious books. Apart from this, there are also two prasad halls with a capacity of holding 200-300 devotees at a time. At present, this Hindu temple in Delhi serves as an important symbol and cultural hub of the Oriya community residing in the city. Moreover, the temple also proffers an apt insight into the prosperous culture of Orissa. During the morning and evening aarti, “Kshana madhuna Narayana manugatam” mantra is chanted by the devotees and priests.

Rath Yatra is the main festival of Jagannath Temple in Delhi. This yatra is also known as the car festival and is celebrated with the great fidelity and devotion. The festival takes place in the month of June, wherein, a chariot holding the idols of deities (Lord Jagannatha along with his brother and sister Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra) observes a journey to stay in his aunt’s house, which is Shri Gundicha Mandir, for the next nine days. On each of these nine days, Lord Jagannath is treated with all love and devoting, and hence, is being served with food, sweets, and various other religious offerings. A number of cultural programs are also organized by the temple committee.  On the tenth day, the Lord returns to his own temple, which is touted as his abode. Further, there are numbers of shops outside the temple from where you can buy postcards and souvenirs for you and your loved ones.

Spacious Architecture

The architectural design of the Jagannath Temple in Delhi resembles the traditional design of many ancient Orissan temples. Sprawls over an area of 10.7 acres, the entire temple is cladded in white and the main shikhara (tower) rises above the inner sanctum - the place where deities reside. Whereas, the other shikharas rise above ante-halls. Moreover, the main structure of this magnificent temple boasts a height of 214 ft. and has built on an elevated surface. Besides, there is also a wheel on the top of the temple which is made up of an ashta-dhatu (an alloy of eight metals) and is touted as Nila Chakra. However, an interesting fact to know about the temple is that every day a new flag is tied to a mast placed right to the Nila Chakra. Whereas, on every Ekadasi, a lamp is lit on the top of the shrine.

Opening/Closing Timings:

The timings of Jagannath Temple in Delhi varies as per the seasons. During the summer season, every day, the temple opens at 5:00 AM and closes at 12:30 PM and then reopens at 4:00 PM and closes around 10 in the night. Whereas, during the winter season, the timings changes to 6:00 AM till 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM till 9 PM. However, the timings of aarti and other rituals also depends on the season.

Summer:

• Mangal Aarti begins at 5:15 AM
• Abkash - 5:15 AM to 6:00 AM
• Balya Bhog - 6:15 AM
• Surya Puja, Dwarpal Puja and Garud Puja - 6:30 AM to 7:00 AM
• Snana, Sringar, Sohala Upchar Puja - 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM
• Evening Aartii - 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
• Shayan Aarti, Bhada Bhog and Geet Govinda Paath - 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Winter:

• Mangal Aarti begins at 6:00 AM
• Abkash - 6:15 AM to 6:45 AM
• Balya Bhog - 6:45 AM to 7:15 AM
• Surya Puja, Dwarpal Puja and Garud Puja - 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM
• Snana, Sringar, Sohala Upchar Puja - 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
• Evening Aarti - 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM
• Shayan Aarti, Bhada Bhog and Geet Govinda Paath - 7:45 PM to 8:15 PM

Location Address:

Shri Jagannath Marg, Tyagraj Nagar, Tyagraj Stadium, Near Safdarjung Bus Terminal, New Delhi - 110003.

How to Reach?

INA serves as the nearest metro station to Jagannath Temple. The station lies on both Pink line and Yellow line metro and is located at a distance of around 1.4 km from the temple. From the station, one can take an auto to reach the temple.

Best Time to Visit

Although, the Jagannath Temple in Delhi can be visited any time during the year. Despite this, the best time to visit Jagannath Temple is the festive days of Rath Yatra which is observed in the month of June.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

There are numbers of enthralling tourist attractions where you can head out after exploring the temple. These attractions are located in the near proximity to the temple.

• Delhi Art Gallery
• Deer Park
• Hauz Khas Village
• SDA Market
• INA Market
• Dilli Haat
• Qutub Minar
• National Zoological Park
• Nehru Planetarium
• National Rail Museum
• Humayun’s Tomb