India, Oct. 23 -- At the top of the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, a daily ritual draws attention for its scale, discipline and religious significance. A temple servitor climbs the towering structure to change its flag, continuing a tradition associated with the shrine for centuries. Many visitors also hear a popular claim that the flag flies against the direction of the wind, making it one of India's most widely discussed temple mysteries.

But does the banner really defy the laws of nature, or could the temple's height, surrounding structures and changing coastal winds explain what people see from the ground? The answer requires separating established temple traditions from popular stories.

The daily flag-changing ritual is d...