Hindu's worship many gods. Some people say that this number runs into crores. Others say that this is more of a metaphorical figure.
But no matter what, most people agree that the number of gods is very nearly infinite. But what is the point of so many gods? Why not simply have one god and be done with it?
After all, we live in one world, don't we? Hindus have peaceful gods, fighter gods, gods who have given up worldly affairs, gods who represent money, gods who preside over villages and communities, and gods who stand for love. They have gods who are elemental, gods who symbolize concepts like knowledge and devotion, as well as gods who appear to be animals and birds.
Such diversity seems to be at odds with the idea that there is only one God, as prescribed by monotheistic religions. But things are not quite as simple as that. In any group of people, there is diversity of natures.
One person wants peace, while the other is aggressive. And another is content to pursue knowledge. Yet another person will find inspiration in nature.
There will be people from this community, and people from the other one. There will even be those who want to have nothing to do with any of these categories and wish to stick to paths of their own making. If we place this diverse group of individuals under one God, someone or the other will always get left out. If God means peace, then the warrior gets left out.
If God wants devotion, then the atheist does not belong. If God prefers people of one nation, then what about all the other people who live elsewhere? There neither is and nor can there ever be a one-size-fits-all solution to this problem.
This is why Hindus prefer to have vast amounts of choice when it comes to choosing gods. No matter what the individual's preference, there is a god in the Hindu pantheon for him or her to follow. No one is left out.
No one is a heretic. Everyone belongs somewhere. At the end of the day, Any God is bound to be an image of his or her devotee.
What one finds in the divine is often a reflection of what one is. A peaceful person sees the universe as peaceful. And a warlike person sees conflict everywhere. Neither of them is wrong and neither of them is right.
The world is a diverse place with many realities. The reason Hindus have many Gods is because Hinduism appreciates and acknowledges this diversity. Jagannath's old image is buried in a special burial ground next to the temple.
The Jagannath temple has a rich and long history, symbolizing concepts like creation, fertility, destruction and nature. The mother goddess is a versatile and all-encompassing entity.