Why Lord Jagannath's idol only has his face

Lord Jagannath is one of the most respected and loved deities among Hindus all over India. He is especially worshipped in Orissa and every year millions of people flock to the state to witness the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. During this festival, the idol of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, are taken out of the Jagannath Temple in a grand procession on huge, decorated chariots and taken till the Gundicha temple

Before the Rath Yatra begins, there is a unique period known as 'Anavasara', during which Lord Jagannath is believed to fall ill. This phase lasts for about14 days and starts after the day of ‘Snan Purnima’ as Lord Jagannath is given a bath with over 1000 ‘kalash’ of water. And so, due to the grand and elaborate bathing rituals performed on Snana Purnima, the deities catch a cold. During Anavasara, the temple remains closed to the public as Lord Jagannath and his siblings are given rest and special herbal treatments.

The idol of Lord Jagannath is different from typical idols and statues that are found in temples. Why? Because instead of having a whole body, Lord Jagannath only has a large, round face with big eyes and a barely defined body. But why is it so?
According to legends, King Indradyumna was a devout follower of Vishnu and wished to build a grand temple with an idol that would be the most unique and sacred. He was instructed to find the perfect form by Vishnu himself, who appeared in a dream. The king sought the help of the divine sculptor Vishwakarma, who agreed to carve the idol under the condition that no one should disturb him until the work was completed.
However, after a long period with no communication, the queen grew anxious and convinced the king to check on the progress. When they opened the door, they found that Vishwakarma had left, leaving behind an incomplete idol with just the face of Lord Jagannath fully completed.

Another famous story about Lord Jagannath’s idol is that when Lord Ram killed Bali from a hidden spot he felt guilty about it. When he placed a dying Bali on his lap, he told him that he would accept the punishment that Bali will give him for he too knew that how he killed Bali was unfair. To this, while Bali initially hesitated, he later said that because Lord Ram shot an arrow at him, his wrists would disappear. And the tree that gave Lord Ram shelter will turn bitter. Lord Ram promised the tree that while it would turn bitter, it will have the essence of Shri Ram in it. And so now, in Kalyug, the idol of Lord Jagannath does not have any wrists and the tree his idol is made with is the Neem tree.
Now, while this incident does not find a mention in any major books or epics, it is a story that has been told by the elders to little children.

The mysteries, tales, stories, and legends about the temple are endless. From the big eyes of Lord Jagannath to the Yamashila on the third stair of the temple, there is an interesting story about it all.
The large, expressive eyes of Lord Jagannath’s idol have become a symbol of his omnipresence and omniscience, letting the people know that he is always watching over the universe. His child-like face makes people fall in love with him and want to serve him through their life. The flag on top of the temple that always flows in the opposite direction to the wind still does not have an explanation. And there is so much more about the temple and idols that might never be known to humans.