JUGGERNAUTH, or JuocuNNATnA. (Jagatnatha, the Lord of the World.) A celebrated place of Hindoo wor ship, in the district of Cuttack, on the sea-coast of Orissa. It is situated in North Latitude 19° 49'; and cast Longi tude 86° 5' ; and stands close to the sea shore, a few miles north-east of the Chilkalake, and immediately adjacent to the town of Pursottom. The town and temple are encom passed with low sand hills; and the surrounding country is extremely sterile. The pagoda itself is a shapeless mass, and is no way remarkable, except as an object of Hindoo veneration. The idol is a carved block of wood, with a frightful isage, painted black, and a distended mouth of a bloody colour. Ile is dressed in gorgeous apparel ; and his appellation is one of the numerous names of Vishnu, the preserving power of the universe, according to the theology of the Brahmins. On festival clays, the throne of the idol is placed upon a stupendous moveable tower, about 60 feet high, resting on wheels, which indent the ground deeply as they turn slowly under the ponderous machine. Ile is accompanied by two other idols, his brother Balaram, and his sister Shubudra, of a white and yellow colour, each on a separate tower, and sitting upon thrones of nearly an equal height. Attached to the principal tower arc six mopes, of the length and size of a ship's cable, by which the people draw it along. The priests and attendants arc sta tioned around the throne on the car ; and occasionally ad dress the worshippers in libidinous songs and gestures. Both the walls of the temple and the sides of the car are covered with the most indecent emblems, in large and durable sculpture. Obscenity and blood arc the charac teristics of the idol's worship. As the tower moves along, devotees, throwing themselves under the wheels, are crush ed to death ; and such acts are hailed with the acclama tions of the multitude as the most acceptable sacrifices. A body of prostitutes are maintained in the temple for the use of the worshippers; and various other systematic inde cencies, which will not admit of description, form a part of the service. A number of sacred bulls are kept in the
place, which are generally fed with vegetables from the hands of the pilgrims ; but, from the scarcity of vegetation, arc commonly seen walking about, and eating the fresh ordure of the worshipping crowds. In the temple, also, is preserved a bone of Krishna, which is considered as a most venerable and precious relic, and which few persons aro allowed to see.
This temple of Juggernaut]) is esteemed the most sacred of all the religious establishments of the Hindoos ; and the concourse of pilgrims by whom it is annually visited is immense, particularly in March, when the Dole Jattrah takes place, and in July, when the Ruth Jattrah is cele brated. The natives themselves, when speaking of the numbers present at these festivals, usually say, that a lack of people (100,000) would not be missed. Dr. Carey is of opinion, that, on the lowest calculation, 1,200,000 attend every year, of whom an incredible proportion, (some sup pose nine out of ten,) die by the way, from want, fatigue, or disease. One fact is certain, that at 50 miles distance, the approach to the spot is known by the quantity of human bones which are strewed by the way. Many old people take the journey on purpose to die within the sacred pre cincts. The sand plains around the town arc in some places whitened with the bones of the pilgrims ; and there is a spot at a little distance, called by the Europeans Gol gotha, where the dead bodies are usually cast forth, and where dogs and vultures are seen continually feeding upon them. Multitudes are crushed to death by the pressure of the crowd ; and at one time, as mentioned by some of the missionaries who were present, 150 were killed around the temple gate. The vicinity of the sea, and the arid nature of the soil, contribute to prevent the contagion which might otherwise be produced by such a number of putrid carcases.