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Gundicha
Temple (Odia: ଗୁଣ୍ଡିଚା
ମନ୍ଦିର),
is
a Hindu
temple,
situated
in
the
temple
town
of Puri in
the
state
of Odisha, India.
It
is
significant
for
being
the
destination
of
the
celebrated
annual Rath
Yatra of Puri.[1] While
it
remains
vacant
most
of
the
year,
the
temple
is
occupied
by
images
of
the
deities
of
Jagannath,
his
brother Balabhadra and
sister Subhadra for
seven
complete
days
(total
9
days
including
the
start
and
concluding
day
of
Ratha
Yatra)
every
year
during
the
annual Rath
Yatra festival.
Known
as
the
Garden
House
of
Jagannath,
the
Gundicha
temple
stands
in
the
centre
of
a
beautiful
garden,
surrounded
by
compound
walls
on
all
sides.
It
lies
at
a
distance
of
about
3
kilometres
(1.9
mi)
from
the
Shrimandira,
the
main
temple
of
Jagannath.
The
two
temples
are
located
at
the
two
ends
of
the
Bada
Danda
(Grand
Avenue)
which
is
the
pathway
for
the
Rath
Yatra.
The
temple
is
built
using
light-grey
sandstone
and
architecturally,
it
exemplifies
typical
Kalinga
temple
architecture[2]
in
the
Deula
style.
The
complex
comprises
four
components:
vimana
(tower
structure
containing
the
sanctum),
jagamohana
(assembly
hall),
nata-mandapa
(festival
hall)
and
bhoga-mandapa
(hall
of
offerings).
There
is
also
a
kitchen
connected
by
a
small
passage.[3]
The
temple
is
set
within
a
garden,[2]
and
is
known
as
"God's
Summer
Garden
Retreat"
or
garden
house
of
Jagannath.[4]
The
entire
complex,
including
garden,
is
surrounded
by
a
wall.
The
sanctum
features
a
plain
raised
platform
(4
feet
(1.2
m)
high
and
19
feet
(5.8
m)
long)
made
of
chlorite
called
Ratnavedi,
where
the
deities
are
placed
during
the
annual
festivities.[3]
The
temple
has
two
gates.
The
western
gate
is
the
main
temple
gate,
through
which
the
deities
enter
the
temple
during
Ratha
Yatra.
The
eastern
gate,
known
as
Nakachana
gate,
is
used
for
the
departure
of
the
deities.[3]
Except
for
the
9-day
Rath
Yatra
when
Jagannath
is
worshipped
in
Gundicha
temple,
the
temple
remains
empty
the
rest
of
the
year.
Tourists
can
visit
the
temple
after
paying
an
entry
fee.
Foreigners
(prohibited
entry
in
the
main
temple)
are
allowed
inside
this
temple
during
this
period.[5]
The
temple
is
under
the
Jagannath
Temple
Administration,
Puri
-
the
governing
body
of
the
main
temple.
A
small
band
of
servitors
maintain
the
temple.[3]
