THE FESTIVAL
“Twenty-four high festivals enliven the religious year” at Puri, rightly claimed as the city of gay festivity and colorful festivals. These festivals are associated mostly with the memorable events in the life of Rama and Krishna. Jagannath is viewed as no other than Rama & Krishna. All incarnations of Vishnu are said to rise from and return to the same source. The Primal Divisity, the lord Jagannath. Jagannath is considered to be no AVATAR (Incarnation) but he is the AVATARI (the source of all avataras). Puri, His abode, is proclaimed to be the DASAVATARA KSHETR$A the place of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. The Bathing festival constitutes the two greatest events of the year. These two festivals have earned the title of “SVAYAM LILA”, the celebrations in which DARU BRAHMA is made to participate in person, whereas other festivals are presided by his protégé.
The Bathing Festival
On the full moon day of the month of JYESTHA (June). The four images of Balabhadra, Subhadra, Jagannath and Sudarshan are brought in a pompous procession to the bathing platform for the yearly ceremonial bath, 108 pots of secreted water are poured over the image with chanting of mantras and recital of Lord’s glory. When the ceremonial bath is over, the deities put on the HATI VESHA (the elephant costume).
After the bathing ceremony is over, the Lord retires into seclusion for fifteen days; it is called the ANAVASARA period. Devotees keep waiting for the ‘DARSHAN’ of the Lord till the end of this period. When the Lord appears in “NAVA JAUBANA DARSAN” on the eve of the famous Car Festival. The year which is celebrated on the second day of the bright fortnight in the month of Asadha(June-July). After fifteen days of retirement in seclusion (Anavasara) the Lord favours his devotees with the long cherished DARSANA, and is taken to huge chariot in a grand procession. The Car Festival draws on enormous crowd of spectators and devotees from every corner of India.
The Car Festival
The Car Festival (Rath Yatra) of Lord Jagannath at Puri is the greatest festival of unrush, writes W.W. Hunter. “For weeks before the Car Festival pilgrims come trooping into Puri by thousands every day. The whole district is in a ferment. By the time the great Car has risen to the orthodox height of forty five feet, the temple cooks make their calculations for feeding 90,000 mouths”. Very often the numbers of mouths to be fed far exceed lakhs. The kitchen of the lord verily justifies its title of the biggest hotel of the world with the improved means of transport and fast growing facilities for accommodation in Puri, the number of tourists in increasing every year.
The Car
The deities are taken in three separate well decorated wooden Cars-Balabhadra in one, Subhadra & Sudarsan in another and Jagannath in third. The Cars are named differently. The first Car is called “TALADHWAJA” the second “DARPADALANA” and third “NANDIGHOSA” Balabhadra’s Car the TALADHWAJA of 14 massive wheels raises the height of 13.20 meters and decorated with bright Blue covers. Subhadra’s Car the PADMADAWAJA (also called DARADALANA) of 12 massive wheels rises to the height of 12.90 meters and is painted deep-red. Jagannath’s Car, the GARUDADHWAJA (also called NANDIGHOSA) of 16 massive wheels is of 13.55 Meters and is adorned with strips of dazzling yellow. Each Car is attached with four impetuous wooden horses supposed to drag the wheeled edifice under the control and direction of an imposing wooded Image of the divine driver. The Cars, the horses the colors and every item of the chariots are imbued with deep mystic significance.
The Deities Arrive
The deities arrive one after another in a right royal procession with deafening music and colorful display of ceremonial umbrellas and impressive antique accessories. The sight of devotees rolling on the ground in ecstasy of joy fills the place with extraordinary thrill. Thousand throats” roar the jubilant cry “Jai Jagannath”. Hundreds literally beguile in tears while greeting their Lords on this grand occasion. Everybody melts as it were at the presence of the Lord and all distinctions and barriers of castle creed, religion are simply swept away in that great favors of universal identity in the presence of Supreme Being.
The King with a Golden Broom!!
As soon as the deities are installed in their respective chariots the time honored CHERAPAHANRA ceremony begins amidst thundering cheers from the vast multiple gathered on and around “the Grand Road” of Puri. The Gajapati, whose ancestors once ruled Orissa, arrives with a golden broom stick to sweep the precinct of the deities giving ocular demonstration to the fact that the King as the head of the State is subservient to the deity that stands for the ideal of the people.
The Cars Move
“Then Comes the most auspicious moment describes Dr. K.C. Mishra, “Thousands of people seize the huge rope and begin to pull the Cars”. As has been observed by Hunter, “The vast multitude shouts with one throat, and surging backward and forward drags, the wheeled edifice down the broad street toward the country house of Lord Jagannath, Music strikes up before and behind, drums beat, cymbals clash, the priests harangue from the cars or shout a sort of fascinate medley enlivened with broad allusions and coarse gestures which are received with roars of laughter by the crowd. And so the dense mass struggles forward by convulsive jerks tugging and sweating, shouting and jumping, singing and praying”. Thus the Cars move to GUNDICHA MANDIR about a few kilo meters from the temple of Jagannath.
Return Journey
After a seven day stay at the GUNDICHA MANDIR, the deities make their return journey. It is known as BAHUDA YATRA, on the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of Asadha, the deities are adorned with gold costume of resplendent jewelry while being in their chariots. Thus the Ratha Yatra, a nine days festival comes to a close.
Navakalevara
The festival of NAVAKALEVARA is celebrated when there are double ASADHA in one Double Asadha occurs within the intervals of 8, 11 or 19 years. As the records show, during the last 100 years.
Navakalevara was performed only six times in 1863, 1931, 1950, 1969, 1977. During the Navakalevara ceremony the four deities Balbhadra, Subhadra, Jagannath and Sudarsan are to change their body. With the permission of the lord, lord’s faithful attendants go in search of “DARU” of the tree, out of which the bodies of the deities are to be carved. The attendants proceed to the goddess MANGALA at kakatpur & with indications from her they go in search of the required MARGOSA tree in the forest. “According to the SASTRAS the trees most have four branches undamaged by insects and birds. At the foot of the tree serpents would see guarding the tree. There must be cremation ground and a river in the vicinity-writes Dr.K. C. Mishra. When these conditions are strictly fulfilled, the VANAYAJNA ceremony is performed. The holy fire is raised, offerings are made, and Mantras are chanted with austerity and penance. The sacred tree is then reduced to log form. The sacred logs are carried to the temple at Puri wooden carts specially made Secret rites are observed inside the temple and hundreds of priests, attendants and Lord’s “own kith and kins” own kith and kins “ participate in the Navakalevara. No one else is permitted to visit the spot. In the depth of a dark midnight the most important esoteric rite of BRAHMA transference takes place. Utmost secrecy is scrupulously maintained in the matter. The Brahma substance from the navel zone of the old images by the blindfolded priests with bandaged palms, so that they can neither see it nor touch it even if the wish to do so. The Brahma substance has ever remained the “secret of secretes”. Nobody can say what that exactly is “-observers Dr. M. Mansingh. It has baffled the speculation of the scholars and termination of the tradition. When the Brahma transference is over the old images get a burial. The “kith and the kins” of the Lord, the DAITAS, observed mourning for thirteen days in strict accordance with the Hindu customs and practice. Lord is supposed to be their relative DAITAS, the descendants of the Sabaras claim to be “kith and the kins” of the Lord. In this case the distinction between the man and his god appear in the role of collaterals.
When the Navakalevara rites are over the resplendent deities appear again on the eve of the Car Festival.