Vimalā Devī at the Jagannātha Temple of Purī: Śākta Cult and Religious Syncretism in Odisha. Part I
Vimalā Devī at the Jagannātha Temple of Purī: Śākta Cult and Religious Syncretism in Odisha. Part I

Summary/Abstract: This study offers an initial exploration of the cult dedicated to Goddess Vimalā, whose shrine is located within the sacred precincts of the great Jagannātha Temple Complex in Purī, Odisha, India. For a foreign researcher interested in Indian spiritual practice, Vimalā Devi’s historical roots, iconography and worship exemplify the coexistence and interaction of diverse religious traditions within a single sacred space, making this shrine an important locus for examining the dynamics of syncretism in South Asian traditions. The restricted access to the Jagannātha Temple Complex in Purī, which, like the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, permits entry only to Hindus and prohibits photography or videography, renders firsthand visual and ritual documentation difficult. Consequently, this study relies primarily on textual and visual sources, complemented by conversations with devotees and observations of domestic ritual practices, to gain insight into the mythic, ritual, and experiential dimensions that shape contemporary understandings of the Devī. Through this approach, the article highlights patterns of both continuity and transformation in the Śākta traditions associated with the Jagannātha temple site in Puri

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