When Jagannātha Becomes Jagannātha: Christian Missionaries and the Distortion of History

Abstract

Siddharth Satpathy’s article critiques the colonial transformation of Lord Jagannātha’s image in Western discourse—particularly by Christian missionaries—into the monstrous and destructive “Juggernaut.” Drawing from historical records, missionary accounts, and early travelogues, Satpathy argues that the vibrant, deeply symbolic Ratha-yātrā of Purī was deliberately misrepresented by colonial observers as fanatical idolatry marked by human sacrifice and barbarism. He traces how these distortions functioned as rhetorical tools in missionary propaganda to justify conversion efforts and colonial domination, with Jagannātha recast as a demonic idol crushing his devotees under his chariot wheels. The article examines this process not as mere misunderstanding but as a strategic cultural defamation, wherein rich theological and ritual traditions were erased in favor of grotesque caricature. Satpathy juxtaposes these colonial misrepresentations with indigenous voices and historical records that emphasize Jagannātha’s karuṇā (compassion) and universality, calling for a critical decolonization of religious historiography. The essay ultimately urges a recovery of indigenous meanings and ritual integrity within contemporary representations of the Jagannātha tradition.