One can oversee a beautiful temple on roadside at Kidderpore area in the Kolkata Metro if he ever passes on public transportation in West Bengal.
The scenic shrine is pertinently visible from miles away, for its attractive architectural framework, basically its resemblance with the Puri Jagannath Temple in Odisha.
Apart from other eminences, the Kidderpore Shri Jagannath Temple is believed more divine, as it is the only temple almost in the earth wherein, Goddess Mahalxmi was manifested from the proposed site during the groundbreaking ceremony of the temple. Later, the full-bodied idol of Maa Laxmi made up of 8-molded metals was incarnated here, alongside a picturesque Shri Jagannath Temple.
Again, the glory of the Khidderpore Jagannath temple located near Kidderpore Tram Depot within the compound of East Yard Kolkata Port Trust reveals the long-standing cultural exchange between ancient Odisha(Utkal) and West Bengal, as ‘Odisha Utsav’ is celebrated here during the car festival. Typical Odissi dance along with a plethora of Odia festivities are enthralled on the occasion under the aegis of the ‘Odisha Utsav’, by the Odia Diasporas, living in the vicinity.
The newly-sculptured Kidderpur Jagannath Temple built in style of Puri temple is the result of years of hard work and financial assistance of many devotees. Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannatha, Shri Balabhadra, Devi Shubhdra and Sudarshan Chakra are worshipped here regularly keeping with the tradition and rituals observed at Puri. Various Puja-Parvana associated with the Lords are also observed round the year. Devotees who come to the shrine get Mahaprasad in the temple.
The Holy Ratha Yatra or Car Festival is celebrated here every year amidst much fanfare. People who reside in the city of Kolkata and the suburbs come in hordes to have darshan of the Lord in Chariot. This sacred place is termed as Jagannath Dham of Kolkata.
Dream of a Jagannath temple in the Bengal-soil dates back to 1960 whereas a small temple was constructed on 23rd January 1969. Over the years a bigger temple was built and in 2003 new idols were installed with eminent pundits from Puri chanting Veda and performing the required rituals and Yagnya.
As in Shri Jagannatha Temple in Puri, there is Aruna Stambha and Singhadwara before the Kidderpore Jagannath temple. As we begin moving from the Aruna Stambha and climb the flight of eighteen stairs, we come across Garuda Stambha in front of the main temple. There are another four stairs which completes the twenty two steps to arrive at the Ratna Bedi resplendent with the divine idols of Shri Jagannatha, Shri Balabhadra, Devi Shubhadra and Sudarshan Chakra.
Walking clockwise around the main temple one can come across exquisitely sculptured smaller temples of Shri Ganesha, Ma Saraswati, Mahavir Hanuman, Surya Narayana, Ma Bimala, Ma Lakshmi, Bhagawat Tungi and Lord Shiva at the end with Yagna Mandap, Snan Bedi, Koili Baikuntha and Bata Mangala Temple within the Temple premises. There are other places like the temple kitchen to cook the Mahaprasad, Anandabazar where Mahaprasad is served to the devotees and a shop selling puja materials.
Apart from the Rath & Bahuda Yatra, the annual sojourns of the deities, some prime occasions including the Snan Purnima, Ratha Yatra (Gundicha Yatra), Jhulan Yatra, Balabhadra Jayanti( Rakhi Purnima), Shri Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Puja and Shrimad Bhagavat Jayanti in Bhadra, Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja in Ashwin, Bhagawat Saptaha and Rash Purnima in Kartika, Saraswati Puja in Magha and Shivaratri and Dol Purnima in Falguna, Ram Navami in Chaitra are observed here in accordance with the rituals of Puri Jagannath temple.
