When people talk about the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the conversation usually stays with Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. But inside the temple complex are several smaller shrines, including three dedicated to Ganesha.
They are Bata Ganesh, Kanchi Ganesh and the southern-side dancing Ganesha.
Grouping them together is easy, since all three are Ganesha shrines. Their images, locations and traditions are not the same. An Odisha Review study by historian Dr. Ratnakar Mohapatra identifies these three shrines as significant from both a religious and an artistic standpoint.Table of Contents
The three Ganesha shrines are not the same
The three shrines occupy different parts of the Jagannath Temple complex.
- Bata Ganesh is associated with the Kalpabata area on the southern side.
- The southern-side Ganesha is the eight-armed dancing form, generally known as Nata or Nrutta Ganesh.
- Kanchi Ganesh stands in the western enclosure and is associated with the Kanchi expedition of Gajapati Purushottama Deva.
An official-style listing of the temple complex also records Bata Ganesh, Kanchi Ganesh and the south-facing eight-armed dancing Ganesha among the shrines and deities within the complex.
Start with Bata Ganesh, near Kalpabata
Bata Ganesh is on the southern side of the temple complex, close to the Kalpabata, the large banyan tree that has its own place in Puri's religious traditions.
The shrine is comparatively small. The deity is a four-armed Ganesha seated on a throne, with the mouse placed in front. Descriptions of the image record a rudraksha garland and broken tusk on the right side, while the left hands hold a parashu and laddu.
There is another reason Bata Ganesh matters in the history of Puri. The area around Kalpabata is traditionally associated with Jagannath Das, author of the Odia Bhagabata. Historical and religious accounts connect his recitation of the text with this part of the temple complex.
Read about Bata Ganesh with that context in mind. The shrine makes more sense next to its surroundings than as an isolated Ganesha temple.
The southern shrine has Ganesha in motion
The other southern-side shrine has a completely different image.
Here Ganesha is shown dancing, with eight arms spread around the body. The black stone image is south-facing and stands out as one of the more distinctive Ganesha sculptures within the Jagannath Temple complex.
The iconography gets more interesting once you look at the individual objects. The upper hands hold a snake, while other hands carry a rosary, broken tusk, lotus and sweets. One hand is shown in abhaya mudra, the gesture associated with reassurance or protection. A mouse appears below the figure.
A scholarly study of Ganesha images in the Puri region also records the dancing posture, the snake, rosary, broken tusk, lotus, sweet balls and mouse in this image.
Compare that to the calm, seated form of Bata Ganesh and the contrast is immediate.
Then there is Kanchi Ganesh
Kanchi Ganesh is on the western side of the Jagannath Temple complex. The name connects the shrine with the well-known Kanchi episode associated with Gajapati Purushottama Deva.
According to the traditional account, the Ganesha image was brought from Kanchi after the king's campaign there. The Odisha Review study describes the image as artistically distinct from the Ganesha sculptures at the southern shrines, noting South Indian influence in its treatment.
The sculpture itself is unusual.
It is a four-armed seated Ganesha with his consort Shridha Devi. The image holds a broken tusk and rosary on the right side and a parashu on the left, while the trunk reaches towards the goddess. A scholarly description identifies the image as a distinctive form known locally by names including Kanchi Ganesha and Bhanda Ganesha.
Kanchi Ganesh cannot be filed away as another small shrine inside Puri. Its image carries a different artistic vocabulary and a separate historical tradition from the other two.
Why are there Ganesha shrines inside the Jagannath Temple?
Ganesha worship has a documented place within the religious landscape of Puri.
The Odisha Review study notes the Pancha Devata tradition among Puri's inhabitants, naming Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Surya and Ganesha. It also records the practice of devotees visiting the three Ganesha shrines within the Jagannath Temple complex.
These shrines sit inside a much wider set of temple traditions. Puri's sacred geography includes many deities, subsidiary shrines and ritual spaces built around the central Jagannath tradition, and Ganesha occupies one part of that setting.
Look at the sculptures before looking for the legend
The easiest way to appreciate these shrines is to compare the images themselves.
Bata Ganesh is seated. Its image has four arms and a straightforward seated posture.
The southern-side Ganesha is dancing. Eight arms, the movement of the body and the collection of objects held by the deity set this image apart immediately.
Kanchi Ganesh is another seated form. But the presence of Shridha Devi and the unusual relationship between Ganesha and the goddess give this sculpture a character quite unlike Bata Ganesh.
Style is only part of what separates the three. Each carries its own story, iconography and placement within the complex.
The Kanchi story explains why this image looks different
The traditional Kanchi episode matters because it links the western shrine to an artistic tradition beyond Puri.
The Odisha Review research specifically observes that the Kanchi Ganesha image shows features associated with South Indian art, while the southern Ganesha images carry features of Odishan sculpture.
For anyone interested in temple art, that distinction is the point: three different treatments of Ganesha sit inside one temple complex, each carved to a different visual language.
There are smaller Ganesha images too
The three principal shrines are not the only places where Ganesha appears within the temple complex.
Temple records also list Ganesha among the deities associated with other parts of the complex, including the Bhogamandapa and Mukti Mandapa. The complex holds several representations of Ganesha rather than one single shrine serving that role.
Easy to miss, if the visit is focused entirely on the main shrine.
Can visitors see all three Ganesha shrines?
Historical accounts describe devotees visiting Bata Ganesh, Kanchi Ganesh and the southern-side Ganesha as part of the temple complex.
Access within the Jagannath Temple complex is governed by temple rules and current arrangements. Visitors should not assume every shrine has the same access conditions at every time.
Questions people ask about the Ganesh temples at Puri
How many major Ganesha shrines are associated with the Jagannath Temple complex?
Three are commonly identified: Bata Ganesh, Kanchi Ganesh and the southern-side dancing Ganesha, also called Nata or Nrutta Ganesh.
Which Ganesha idol is shown dancing?
The southern-side shrine houses an eight-armed dancing Ganesha. The image is south-facing and is distinguished by its elaborate iconography.
Why is it called Kanchi Ganesh?
The traditional explanation is that the image was brought from Kanchi by Gajapati Purushottama Deva following his Kanchi campaign. The story is closely associated with the Kanchi-Kaveri tradition of Odisha.
Where is Bata Ganesh located?
Bata Ganesh is on the southern side of the Jagannath Temple complex, near Kalpabata.
What is unusual about the Kanchi Ganesh image?
It shows Ganesha with his consort Shridha Devi, the trunk reaching towards her — unlike the more familiar seated Ganesha images. The image also carries features associated with South Indian sculpture.
Three Ganeshas, three different pieces of Puri's history
The three shrines are worth remembering for different reasons.
Bata Ganesh belongs to the Kalpabata side of the complex and its long religious associations. The southern shrine gives Ganesha a rare dancing form with eight arms. Kanchi Ganesh carries a story that links Puri with Kanchi, in a sculpture whose artistic treatment stands apart from the other two.
Together, they show how much detail sits inside the Jagannath Temple complex, outside the usual tourist description of Puri.
Odisha's temple architecture rewards this kind of close look. These smaller shrines deserve the same attention as the better-known structures around them — their value is in the details: where they stand, how their images are carved, what they hold and the stories attached to them.
Note: Temple access, photography rules and visitor arrangements can change. Follow the instructions of the Jagannath Temple administration and temple personnel during any visit.
