Painting. Plan of Puri, the most important pilgrimage town on the Bay of Bengal and one of the four ‘abodes of light’ sited at the four cardinal points of the subcontinent (Puri represents the east), showing the main temple enshrining the city’s three main gods: Jagannath, an aspect of Krishna (right), his borther Balabhadra (left) and their sister Subhadra (centre) with the temple tower above them. The central sanctuary, surrounded by smaller buildings, is enclosed by a wall. Elsewhere are marked various of the local spots of sacred geography. Three ceremonial chariots of the divine trio are shown on the left. The plan of the town is conch-shaped because it is believed that Puri represents Vishnu’s conch. Painted on cloth.
© The Trustees of the British Museum
