Jagannāth, a manifestation of Vishnu, is the patron deity of the holy-heritage city of Puri (Odisha, India). In an anthropomorphised form, it is celebrated through rituals such as dressing the deities with precious ornaments, offering food, allowing the deities to take an afternoon nap, and applying sandalwood paste before retiring for the night, incorporating a variety of rituals as part of making the space, time, and functions sacred. The Shaṅkha - Kshetra is associated with a multitude of shrines and religious institutions, including 81 monasteries. Altogether, it converges into a form of ritualscapes consisting of the various attributes of sacredscapes. The entire sacred space of the Jagannāth Puri is divided into Sahis (sacred sub-territory), accommodating several auxiliary shrines, which are integral parts of a grand procession, performing folk drama on the eve of Rāmanavami (birthday of Bhagavan Rāma), which falls on the lunar month of Chaitra (March-April) on the ninth waxing fortnight. A large group of youths showcases their performing talents and physical skills in the procession that traverses the town, giving a glimpse of Bhagavan (Lord) Jagannāth under the leadership of a Sahi Nayak, the headman of each Sahi. Among all the sacred processions (Yatras), the Ratha Yatra (‘chariot procession’) is the most famous and draws many pilgrims and devotees from all parts of India and even abroad. This paper describes various aspects of sacredscapes and ritualscapes in the context of cultural and sacred sustainability, while developing a framework for spiritual tourism.
Keywords: Hindu sacred place, faithscape, sacredscapes, ritualscapes, mandala, cosmic mandala, Jagannāth Puri.