After Krishna left his mortal body, his heart didn't burn out, so Arjun carried his sacred heart and set it adrift into the sea - it washed ashore in Puri, glowing with spiritual energy.
Moved by this miracle, the local king sought to build a temple and enshrine the relic. It is believed that Vishwakarma came himself as a sculptor to carve the idols. But on one strict condition - no one must open the door until the work was complete.
Days passed. The queen, unable to bear the silence and mystery, opened the door out of curiosity. Vishwakarma vanished, and the idols remained unfinished - arms incomplete, expressions wide-eyed.
Every few years, this heart is transferred into a freshly carved idol in a sacred ritual called Nabakalebara. The city plunges into total darkness. Priests are blindfolded.
An incomplete form, holding the most complete truth.

Best time to visit:
Months - November to February
Festivals - Rath Yatra