Elusive Musk In Jagannath’s Cosmetics A Boon For Rats!

For Jagannath devotees, the mention of Nepal reminds them of Shalagrams and Kasturi or the fragrant extract from the musk deer.

Elusive Musk In Jagannath’s Cosmetics A Boon For Rats

Jagannath Mahaprabhu has innumerable rituals and stories associated with his temple in Puri. These rituals are among the many things which draw His devotees closer to Him. For here is a Lord who eats, sleeps, marries and falls sick just like his devotees. Nepal and its Kings have always held a very special place in the Jagannath temple. As a local representative to King Gyanendra of Nepal on his visit to the Jagannath temple in 2018, I caught a first hand glimpse of that special relationship. 

For Jagannath devotees, the mention of Nepal reminds them of Shalagrams and Kasturi or the fragrant extract from the musk deer. Few know that Nepal’s link to the Jagannath temple dates back to more than a thousand years. After Raktabahu's invasion, Jagannath’s idol was lost for more than a hundred years. Adi Shankaracharya travelled all the way from the south to Puri to help restore Jagannath worship. He located the lost idol of Jagannath to a cave in Sonepur and convinced King Jajati Kesari to rebuild the Jagannath temple and restore Jagannath worship.