Jagannath Temple, Chennai

Jagannath Temple, Chennai - via Wikimedia

Jagannath Puri Temple Chennai is a Hindu temple dedicated to the divine trinity Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadrain Chennai, India. The temple located in Kannathur off the EC Road by the seaside is built in Kalinga architecturereminiscent of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. The temple has shrines dedicated to Shiva, Ganesh, Bimala. The annualRathyatra is the main festival celebrated.

The temple was built in 1725 by Kalavai Chetty, a 'dubash' working for the British East India Company, on a land belonging to him. A huge retinue of dancing girls were attached to the temple in the earlier days. These dancing girls resided in a quarter adjoining the temple. A plaque in the temple records the year of the first kumbhaabishekam (consecration) as 1728. Post-Independence, a mahaa-kumbhaabishekam (great consecration) was held on 8 July 1962. A major renovation of the temple began on 20 February 1984 and another great consecration was held on 9 July 1989.
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