Spiritual leaders, public figures, meditation practitioners, and delegates gathered to celebrate three days of meditation, spiritual discourse, and cultural programs at the Odisha Dhyan Mahayajna 2026 in Puri, Odisha.
Organized by the Dhyana Joga Trust, the Sept 25-27 program saw participation from Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Shree Dibyasingha Deb, Swarnamala Patriji, Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash, and Mahant Ramakrushna Dash of Radhaballav Math, Puri, among the speakers and distinguished guests.
Invited as Guest of Honor, Padma Shri D.R. Kaarthikeyan informed A Lotus In The Mud about the event. He is a former director of the CBI, former director general of the National Human Rights Commission, and president of the Foundation for Peace, Harmony, and Good Governance.
At the inaugural session, Gajapati Maharaja delivered an address on spirituality, followed by Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash, Mahant Ramakrushna Dash, and other speakers.
The event included talks on spirituality, meditation, and compassionate plant-based living, along with guided meditation sessions and cultural performances. Annadana (food distribution) was also organized for thousands of delegates.
A highlight of the gathering was an early-morning musical meditation session by the seashore, allowing participants to combine meditation with the natural setting of Puri’s coastline. Delegates also visited the famous Shree Jagannath Temple.
The program was organized by a team from Dhyana Joga Trust led by Ipshita Pujari, Abhipsa Dash, their families, and volunteers.
Significance of Puri
Puri, located on the Bay of Bengal about 60 kilometers south of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is one of Hinduism’s four Char Dham pilgrimage centers. Ancient scriptures refer to the region as Purushottama Kshetra and Shankha Kshetra.
At the city’s heart stands the Shree Jagannath Temple, one of the most revered centers of Sanatan Dharma. The temple’s sanctum houses Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra, whose distinctive wooden forms are central to the temple’s traditions.
The temple is also closely associated with major Vaishnava traditions and spiritual figures, including Adi Shankaracharya and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Its annual Rath Yatra draws millions of devotees, who gather to watch the deities carried in enormous wooden chariots to the Gundicha Temple.
The temple’s rituals extend well beyond worship in the sanctum. Its vast kitchen prepares large quantities of Mahaprasad, which is offered to the deities and then distributed among devotees.
Gajapati Maharaja: Lord Jagannath’s foremost servitor
Gajapati Maharaja Shree Dibyasingha Deba, titular head of Puri’s Gajapati royal house, is the traditional Adhyasevaka, or foremost servitor, of Lord Jagannath. He chairs the Shri Jagannatha Temple Managing Committee and participates in key temple rituals and festivals.
During Rath Yatra, he performs Chhera Pahara, ceremonially sweeping the chariots as a symbol of humility and service. For decades, he has supported religious, spiritual, and cultural activities in India and abroad. His presence at the Odisha Dhyan Mahayajna connected the event’s contemporary meditation practices with Puri’s centuries-old Jagannath traditions and spiritual heritage.
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