The Eternal Tree
Inside the inner courtyard (Kurma Bheda) of the Jagannath Temple stands the ancient Kalpa Bata, the wish-fulfilling banyan tree. It is considered one of the holiest spots in the temple precinct.
Mythological Origins
According to the Skanda Purana, during the great cosmic deluge (Pralaya) that destroys the world at the end of a cycle, this banyan tree remains intact. Sage Markandeya is said to have witnessed Lord Vishnu as an infant floating on a leaf of this very tree amidst the cosmic waters.
"To tie a thread to the branches of the Kalpa Bata is to tie one's soul to the eternal cycle of the Lord's grace."
Devotees circumambulate the tree, tying yellow and red threads to its branches with the belief that their purest desires will be fulfilled by the Lord. Philosophically, the tree represents the eternal nature of the soul (Atman) that survives the destruction of the physical body.