JAJPUR: Construction works at the Anantagopal temple in Chhatia, about 60 km from the Jajpur district headquarter never stops throughout the year.
It is not that the temple, otherwise known as Chhatiabata, needs regular repair or renovation but the legend has it that work in the temple must go on, come what may. And so has it been since time immemorial.
The temple gets plastered over and over again, new brick walls are added. Wooden doors and windows of the temple dismantled, refixed and get coloured ceaselessly.
The Anantagopal temple is regarded as the second abode of Lord Jagannath after Puri.
At present, a boundary wall is being raised with an ornamental entrance to the temple and a huge kitchen to cater to divine palates.
The endless constructions are certainly a drain on the temple exchequer but then, age-old customs cannot be done away with.
“Regular construction work has been a tradition of the temple,” explains Pradyumna Kumar Das, hereditary trustee of the temple who is treated by the Chhatiabata devotees as a living god. “Since the temple’s present cannot be allowed to be different from its past, work continues till now,” he said.
The unique tradition is rooted in age-old belief that comes from ancient scriptures called the Malika, according to which Chhatia originally belonged to Lord Jagannath.
The faithful claim that the Lord Jagannath - now ensconced in his abode at Puri - will return some day to Chhatia. And keeping his eventual return in mind, the construction work in the temple continues.
“Lord Jagannath will return to Chhatia some day,” maintains Bibhuti Pal, a faithful. And the decks are being constantly cleared for the Lord’s eventual return. Since his return is expected any day, the statue of Jagannath at Chhatia rides a horse and holds a sword, keeping in mind that it is Kaliyug and he would have to defeat modern day evils in his reincarnation as Kalki. No one in Chhatia, therefore, expects the work to come to a halt till Lord Jagannath’s return.
“The construction work in Chhatia temple will be stopped only when the Lord returns,” said Pal.
The belief in return of Lord Jagannath is so deeply-rooted that locals say if the construction at the temple and the preparations to welcome back the deity ever stops, there will be disasters and the world could even come to an end.
The funds for construction works come from donations by devotees. And this also provides work for local carpenters, masons and labourers throughout the year.