Located near Saharang, the Jagannath Temple is a humble shrine that local residents refer to as the Digi Temple. This place has great religious significance to the people of Bhadrak District, who have faith in Jagannath; they travel from outlying villages out of devotion alone. The flow of worship is regular but not necessarily crowded (i.e., prayer offerings are made repeatedly, and tradition continues unabated). The temple is situated in rural tranquillity and has a humble appearance.
The Bhadrak Jagannath Temple in Saharang was constructed many years ago and continues to be of great significance to many nearby villages. There is daily worship of Lord Jagannath each morning with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra through a series of daily worship activities that are performed with care, as well as a series of larger ceremonial worship activities that coincide with major religious holidays. When Rath Yatra takes place, there is a huge inflow of people from surrounding villages who are attracted by the sound of drums, the singing of songs and simply wanting to be present.
This Jagannath temple is situated deep in bhadrak, and provides a cool respite to the many urban temples that feel both crowded and noisy. The temple also has space to watch as faith develops over time in a calm and tranquil environment. The peace you will find here appears to be instantaneous, yet lasts much longer than time; every inhale allows you to become more relaxed as your mind progressively releases the tension built up through a busy day.
Outside the confines of the Digi Temple there’s a calmness within its walls. Fields run off endlessly into the distance, while trees rest lightly in the wind surrounding the temple. The building itself is simple and draws fewer people but provides perhaps a greater experience. A sense of peace engulfs you prior to facing in towards one of the 4 corners of this building. Other large monumental space you hear echoes from this location but there is a very different feel to this area.
Solitary stone step entry without indication each day. Green branches rest lightly across 4 sides of the Roof at daybreak. Where Spirit moves slow there is minimal disturbance caused by the sound of nature.
