Chapter 1 - Introduction

INTRODUCTION
Purusottama kṣetra popularly known as Puri, the famous seat of Lord
Purusottama (Jagannatha), is situated (Latitude 19° 47 55 North and Longitude
85° 49 5³ East) on the shore of the Bay of Bengal in the state of Orissa (Map.No-1)
and also the head quarters of the district bearing the same name. It is exactly
located about 59 kms to the south-east of Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa.
The kṣetra is well-known for its historic antiquities and religious sanctuaries in
India. Being Lord Purusottama is the presiding deity of the kṣetra, this place came
to be known as Purusottama kṣetra. This kṣetra is also well-known throughout
the world for the celebrated temple of Lord Jagannatha, which stands on a
prominent place near the sea-shore. Besides the Jagannātha temple, there are also
a number of temples of smaller and medium sizes noticed in the different parts of
the kṣetra. From the artistic point of view, the kṣetra of Purusottama (Puri) is an
importantcentre of the temple building activities in Eastern India.
Purusottama kṣetra (Puri town) is not only famous as a holy place of
India but its surrounding is also treated as grand and splendid in the whole of
world (Map.No-2). This kṣetra is a coordinating place where all the Hindu gods
and goddesses are worshipped. The main Jagannatha temple is situated in the
centre of the kṣetra and around it are a number of streets (sāhis). The kṣetra of
Purusottama is covered by the traditional seven sähis, which are mostly inhabited
by the priests and other servitors of the temple of Lord Jagannatha. It may be the
nucleus and as L.S.S.O' Malley has aptly referred that it has spread out somewhat
in the shape of fan.² The traditional sahis of the kṣetra are Harachanḍī sāhi on the
west, Bāli sāhi on the south, Doḷamaṇḍapa sāhi and Mochi sahi on the east,
Mārkaṇḍeśvara sāhi and Cuḍānga sāhi on the north and so on.
1. Extent of the Kṣetra:-
The older texts mention that the kṣetra is sacred upto a radius of ten
yojanas i.e. 40 miles.³ The Skanda Purāṇa describes that the kṣetra of Purusottama
extends over five krosas (one kroṣa 2 miles) up to the sea. On the basis of
Skanda Purāṇa, the kṣetra of Purusottama extends from the temple of Lokanatha
on the west to that of the Beleśvara temple on the east and from the eternal sea on