Five holy ponds
Every inch of Puri, the Holy City, is considered auspicious. Its five water bodies – Indradyumna, Markandeya, Swetaganga, Rohini Kunda (cistern) and Mahodadhi (sea) – are held in high religious esteem by the Hindus. The city’s five ponds have earned the nomenclature of Panchatirthas. A visit to the pilgrim town is considered incomplete without performing ablutions at Panchatirtha. Panchatirtha signifies a custom of washing in the five holy tanks.
Indradyumana
According to the Skanda Purana, the water body is the most sacred of the existing ponds in Srikshetra. Water drawn from the tank, situated half a kilometre from the Gundicha temple, is used to cleanse the temple. Three shrines – Indradyumna Maharaja’s temple, Sakshi Gopala temple and Nilakanteswara – are situated close to the water body. According to legends, a thousand cows, which were donated by King Indradyumna to Brahmins as part of an Ashvamedha Yagna, trod the ground. Chandana Yatra and Sitala Sasthi are the two festivals that are celebrated here.
Markandeya
The faithful commences the pilgrimage from the Markandeya which is believed to be the place where God saved sage Markandeya. The sage had performed deep penance before attaining enlightenment. A temple named after Markandeya is close to the water body sprawling over four acres. The lake is situated to the south-west of Jagannath temple in Markandeswar Sahi. A dip here before darshan of Markandesvara Mahadeva is thought to absolve a person of all sins.
Rohini Kunda
The cistern is inside the premises of Jagannath temple near the shrine of Bimala. There is a wheel and a crow over a four ft pedestal in the holy tank. Legend has it that the sacred log called Daru Brahma – from which the image of Jagannath was carved out – was found floating in this holy cistern. Sacred water, identified as ‘Karana Water’, is stored in Rohini Kunda. Another legend corroborates the fact that King Indradyumna had invoked Lord Brahma after constructing Srimandir. At that time King Galamadhava wanted to take possession of the temple. Brahma is believed to have resolved the dispute. The crow and the wheel stand testimony to King Indradyumna’s conflict with Galamadhava. The latter is believed to have remained in the holy waters forever.
Swetaganga
Located to the south of Nilachal, Swetaganga is believed to have been created from the nails of Lord Vishnu. It is situated between the Lions’ gate and Swargadwar. The sacred water is sourced to a stream from the Earth’s core, it is said. Visitors to Jagannath temple sanctify themselves by taking a holy dip in Swetaganga. It is believed that there is an underlying stream that connects Swetaganga with the Ganges. There are two temples on the embankment dedicated to Vishnu’s Matsyavatar and King Sweta.
Mahodadhi
The bay at Puri is not simply a pilgrimage, it is also identified as Mahatirtha. Mahodadhi signifies a confluence of faiths. By virtue of its shallow beach, it has attracted tourists and pilgrims from across the country.
