The Vimala Devi Temple also called Bimala Temple is situated inside the Jagannath Temple complex of Puri which is one of the 4 important Dhams. It is a Shakti Pitha where the foot of the Devi fell.
The temple is located to the western corner of the main tower of Jagannath, near the holy pond Rohini kunda. It is built in the Orissa Deula architecture style.
It is a small temple but is very important to the Devi and Tantric worshipers, who consider it more holy than the Jagannath temple. She is said to be the guardian of Jagannath temple. Bhaktas worship Her before worshiping Lord Jagannath.
Jagannath temple: The Jagannath Temple is dedicated to Jagannath, Lord Sri Krishna in Puri. Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva rebuilt the present temple in the 10th century around 1112 CE where the original temple was.
It is a highly revered temple especially for the Vaishnava sect people.
There is a story about how the Lord Jagannath idols originated. It is said that the original image of Lord Jagannath manifested at the end of Treta yuga near a banyan treemade of Indranila mani – a Blue Jewel. It was svery powerful and could grant instant moksha. God Yama hid it in the earth. In the Dvapara Yuga King Indradyumna of Malwa wanted to find it and he performed long penance. Vishnu was pleased and asked him to go to the Puri and find a floating log to make the image from its trunk.
The King went to Puri and found the log. He then did a yajna from which God Yajna Nrisimha appeared and told him how the 3 idols of Sri Krishna, Balaram and Subhadrashould be made. Indradyumna prayed Visvakarma, the great architect of the Gods, to build the temple for the idols. Lord Vishnu himself appeared in the guise of a carpenter to make the idols under the condition that till he has finished making the idols he should not be undisturbed . He started working behind the closed doors.
Hoerver after two weeks, the Queen became curious as there was no sound coming from the temple. So she and the king wanted to see what was happening ad opened the closed doors. As his condition not to disturb was broken, Vishnu stopped working, work leaving the idols unfinished. The idols were withot any hands. A divine voice told the king Indradyumana to install them in the temple.
Food offered to Jagannath is also offered to Vimala so it gets sanctified.
Many festivals are observed here but the Ratha Yatra (car festival) held in June-July is the most famous one. The Durga Puja during the Ashvin masa (usually October) is is the main festival of Devi. During this time She is offered non-vegetarian food and animal sacrifice, as done in many other Devi temples. In strict secrecy in the early morning, animal sacrifice in the form of a male goat is offered to the Devi, and also fish from the Markanda temple tank with Tantric rituals. The rituals are completed before the main temple doors. The vegetarian Vaishnava devotees are not permitted during this time.
Advise and a word of caution: It is good to take a tourist guide but make sure that you take an authorised one by checking his credentials. Be ware of the “Panda” priests of Puri as they are notorious for extracting money for Archanas and Poojas at every step.
Things to do: Puri beach is good for bathing and swimming.
Puri Jagannath Temple timings are 05:00 am to 11:30 pm. Closed from 01:00 pm to 04:00 pm. Prasadam timings of the temple are from 11:00 am to 01:00 pm. Required
Devi temple Timeings: 9 am to 7 pm
How to reach: Being one of the most visited pilgrimage centers Puri is well connected.
By air: Bubanewar airport 61 km away is well connected by several flights.
By train: Puri is well connected by train. Timings from various destinations keep changing so you need to check.
By road: Several buses from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and Calcutta.
