The Panda of Lord Jaggannath met us at the Mayfair Resort the day we arrived in Puri. He was dressed in white Kurta Pajama (pants and tunic), presented us with a calling card, a gentleman and a true professional.The next morning he was waiting for us at the reception of the Mayfair Resort at 8:00 a.m. sharp. Unfortunately we were late as some members of the family were enjoying the delicious complimentary breakfast served on the airy terrace overlooking the sea; being on a fast I was embarrassed by this display of the stretchable time but Bulu Panda brushed aside my apologies. And as we waited in the reception for the rest of my family, he narrated the following story.
When the idol of Lord Jagannath was commissioned by the monarch of Puri, the solitary artisan selected for the task, requested that no one be allowed to enter his workshop in the temple till the project was completed. But the king and his wife, with typical human impatience forced open the door wherein the artisan vanished into thin air and the idol of Lord Jagannath was left incomplete. Moral: haste makes waste, let the family eat in peace.
On our way to the 11th century temple, we asked Bulu Panda to accompany us on the rented three wheeler (it's called auto-rickshaw or just auto in India), but with a humble smile he pointed at his motorcycle. I have nothing against motorcycles but somewhere in my backward mind I failed to associate a man of god zooming on a motorbike. And along the way I saw other Pandas wearing Dhotis flying by on their "mobikes". Now, if you think about it, actually an easy and practical way of commuting to work. Cheers for Harley Davidson and it's lesser known brothers and sisters!
On one of my earlier visits to the temple as a child, my uncle had refused to pay for the services of a Panda, and was cursed with "tokay jomay libay"/ "the god of death will claim you". His answer was: "Tokay-o libay ekdin, charibay naa"/ "the god of death will also claim you one day, no reprieve". However, Bulu Panda being a notch modern than some of the other Pandas, gave us a memorable tour of the temple, explaining the history, architectural details and some of the modern aspects. Incidentally the Sun-God of Konarak is now housed in the Jagannath temple, and where the other deities are all barefoot, the Sun-God dorns a pair of high boots.
Now, if you ever visit Puri for the sake of Lord Jagannath, or maybe the architectural stuff , or even for the pristine beaches; and if you need the services of a Panda, do call Bulu Panda for a comprehensive tour of the temple. His number is on the scanned image of the calling card.
But even inside the awe inspiring temple only sheer agility will help you dodge the sticks that some of the other pandas crack on your head (blessing??? - I am not sure why). And my 9 year old was thrilled to see the scores of monkeys, some even cradling babies hanging from the high ledges of the temple.
Jai Baba Jagannath!
