The book ‘Jagannath: Stories of Faith and Devotion’ by Smita Das Jain is a work of fiction, but real people and their personal accounts inspire the stories. The narratives are drawn from scriptures, local legends, temple chronicles, and folklore, and some chapters are written based on facts derived from mythologies.

Book: ‘Jagannath: Stories of Faith and Devotion’ | Divine Stories of the Lord of the Universe from Jagannath Puri

Author:  Smita Das Jain

Genre: Non-fiction, Spirituality, Devotional

Format: Paperback and eBook

Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors

What’s Waiting Inside:

The book consists of seventy-five powerful accounts about Lord Jagannath and His spiritual legacies. Every story is enriching, written in such a way that the readers can read it easily within a quick frame of time. Not only folklore, but the book shares some interesting facts about the Lord and His spiritual legacies, drawn from temple chronicles, scriptures, traditions, and oral narratives.

Book Cover:

The book cover is gorgeously designed with the three siblings – Mahaprabhu Jagannath, Mahaprabhu Balaram, and Subhadra Devi. Minimal yet elegant – this book cover shines the light of the trio!

Writing Style:

The writing style of author Smita Das Jain is lucid and subtle. The stories and the facts are delivered in a simple language, yet they carry the grace within words. Here’s the beauty of this book!

What I loved most about the writing and narrative style of Smita is that she narrates the stories like she is sitting in a temple courtyard and describing the devotees, the miracles, and the grandeur of the Lord.

A Glimpse of the Book:

The book is divided into six parts:

• Part 1: The Origin and Early Legends
• Part 2: The Shrine and the Symbols
• Part 3: The Siblings and Divine Family Tales
• Part 4: Miraculous and Spiritual Experiences
• Part 5: Folk Tales and Tribal Stories
• Part 6: Rath Yatra and Other Rituals

Quotes to Remember:

Sometimes the heart beats, trembles, and sings. And the Divine listens.

Miracles are gentle awakenings, not grand displays. They don’t force you to believe. Instead, they open your heart.

The X-factor:

The book is about Mahaprabhu Jagannath, and what could be more incredible about a book? The theme of this book itself is its X-factor. Here, this book stands out from the queue of other non-fiction books.

Another thing that I take with me from this book is its quotes at the beginning of every chapter. They are absolutely outstanding, and in my opinion, they are undoubtedly one of the memorable things about this book. Each quote is deep, meaningful, and conveys an intense message to readers.

Additionally, I would like to mention the first part of the book. In this part, the author beautifully narrates the tale of Lord Nila-Madhava. This is the beginning of the book, and I must mention that readers will have goosebumps while reading this section.

My Recommendation:

If you are interested in devotional literature and spiritual wisdom, then this book is definitely for you. The stories will uplift your spirit, calm your mind, and fill your heart with the light of faith and devotion.

I would recommend everyone to read this book at least once in their life. It will definitely change your vision of the path of devotion.

Jay Jagannath!

Buy the book here.

(I received the review copy for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.)