Jagannath Stories of Faith & Devotion

25th July 2026

Jagannath is a non-fiction spiritual collection that explores the hidden myths, chronicles, and
deep-seated devotion surrounding the beloved deity of Odisha.
Smita has put her organizing skills to the best use and thoughtfully divided the book in 6 sections. These sections only elevate the reading experience of a reader. Smita's writing style is lucid and flows naturally. The stories are of uniform length which makes it a quick read. As she clarifies in her opening note in the book, "I am not a scholar, a monk, or a historian. I do not claim to be an expert. I am a storyteller and have tried tto make faith accessible." Not at a single point does her writing come as preaching, on the contrary it takes you close to hope, belief and divine. So many things in this book came to me as an enlightenment and I am glad
I picked it up.

Before I read this book, Jagannath Puri was only one of the four dhams for me.
That Jagannath is people's God, that like us humans he also falls sick and takes his time to heal, that the three siblings have a bond very much like human siblings would have, that He blesses his pure hearted devotees and does not make any discrimination whatsoever, these are the learnings I got to learn because of this book.



I am not someone who constantly seeks divine intervention, pleading for help in times of distress, or endlessly expressing their devotion. (देव देव करत नाही मी जास्त) Whenever I pray, it's only to seek strength to face whatever comes my way, gracefully. I don't believe in particular God, I believe in the super power that exists and guides me. And for these very reasons this book could sit well with me. (To each their own, please no negative comments for this opinion, I am confessing this openly for the first time.) This book does not preach to you, it makes a foundation through the Origin section, gradually leads you ahead through stories and eventually makes you believe in the divine super power, leaving you with a heart full of hope.

The title may make this book appear as a mythological book, but let me tell you it's not. The phrase "Collection of 75 Stories" may make you feel like it is a reimagined version or retelling, it's not that either. Smita has very well researched and shortlisted these 75 folklore and there is a reason behind it which you will understand only if you read the book.