Jagannath Temple
         The Jagannath temple at Puri is one of the greatest religious monuments in the   India. Situated on the sea coast, the abode of Lord Jagannath is popularly known as ‘Srikhetra’ or Purusottama khetra on the basis of its religious sanctity. The historical records says the temple was originally built by   Yayati II of Somavamsi dynasty on the site of  the present shrine. Historians, however, differ on this issue. Some of them of  that the temple was built by Anangabhimadeva Chodagangadeva, the grandson of   Anantavarman Chodaganga .The epigraphically  records  however, fully confirms that it was Chodaganga who built the temple. The temple of Lord Jagannath was built according to Kalingan style of Pancharatha type. Orissan temple architecture, which made an humble beginning before the 6th century A. D reached

            Its  perfection  by the time  the present temple of Lord Jagannath was built. The idea of building the huge temples   with   three sections  (Jagamohana, Bhogamandapa and Natyamandapa) before the Vimana, the main temple has  already gained ground  in Orissa. Jagannath temple  is the  first expression of  full fledged Pancharatha type of Kalingan style of architecture.

       The pancharatha style consists of  two  anurathas, two konakas and one raha. The idea of   constructing a temple is to install a deity in it and to offer all comforts divine as well royal. The deity is regarded   to be a royal personage and therefore   he is provided with all   facilities  to live in a palace-like building with a huge audience hall (Jaqgamohana), dining hall (Bhogamandapa) and a dancing hall (Natyamandapa). Besides, he is further provided with   horses, gold, jewellery, silken clothes and  a lofty abode (Vimana) for his residence.

Jagannath temple is build on a highly raised   platform, compared to Lingaraj and other temples  belonging to this type. Jagannath temple was  the  first temple in the history of  Orissan temple architecture where  all the  chambers like  Jagamohana, Bhogamandapa and Natyamandapa were build along with the main temple. There were miniature shrines on the three outer side of the main temple.

        Jagannath temple is a pancharatha with  well developed pagis. ‘Gajasimhas’ (elephant lions) carved   in recesses of the  pagas, the ‘Jhampasimhas’(jumping lions)  are  also found  in their proper places. It is the perfect pancharatha temple which developed  into a Nagararekha temple with unique Orissan style of subdivisions like  Pada, Kumbha, Pata,Kani and Vasanta. The Vimana or the apsidal structure consists of  several sections  superimposed one over other tapering to the  top where great Amalakasila and Kalasa are placed. Among the existing temples in Orissa, the hight of temple of Lord Jagannath is highest (214 ft.8inches from road level).

        The temple has  four gates and two very big concentric walls. The outer wall of Jagannth temple is known as Meghanada  Prachira (665 ft.by 650 ft.) and the inner one as Kurma beda (420 ft. by 315 ft). The outer wall is not uniformly high, its height varying from  20 to 24 feet. Jagannath temple  is the only temple in Orissa which has  four gates  both in inner and outer walls.

          The main entrance on the  east  is called  Simhadwara or  the Lion gate, which is the  symbol of strength. The southern gate is  the next important one where symbol of horse  shows the military power of the king. The western gate is called  Baghradwara or the  tiger gate  which signifies energy and the northern gate  called  Hastidwara  indicates prosperity. But according to  local traditions the four gates  represents  Dharma (lion), Artha (Elephant),Karma (Horse)and  Moksha (tiger). According to Madala Panji the outer prakara was built by Kapilendradeva (1435-1497).The inner prakara called the Kurma beda was built by Purusottamadeva (1467-1497) who also built the Bhogamandapa   of the temple. 
         Over centuries  the  subsidiary temples were built and the existed were repaired and renovated. The Aruna stambha now in the front of the eastern Simhadwara was brought from Konark in the later half of the  18th century. The architectural and the sculptural features of this world famous  temple did not receive due importance  as they remained hidden under the  successive coats of plaster. Due to its white washed  exterior , the temple was called ‘White Pagoda’ by the European sailors in contrast to ‘Black Pagoda’, the Konark temple.