Dibyasingha Deba Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deva IV | |
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Chairman, Shri Jagannatha Temple Managing Committee | |
Assumed office 7 July 1970 | |
Preceded by | Birakishore Deva III |
Personal details | |
Born | Kamarnaba Deba 1953 [1] Puri,Odisha |
Nationality | Indian |
Spouse | Leelavati Patamahadei [2] |
Children |
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Parents |
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Alma mater | |
Gajapati Maharaja King of Puri | |
Reign | 7 July 1970 – current (titular) |
Predecessor | Birakishore Deva III |
House | Bhoi dynasty |
Religion | Hinduism |
Dibyasingha Deba, known by the symbolic regnal title as Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deva IV is the current Gajapati Maharaja and the King of Puri. He is the current head of the house of Bhoi dynasty, [3] [4] who were the hereditary rulers of the ancient realm of Trikalinga (regions of Kalinga, Utkal, Dakshin Koshala), medieval era Khurda Kingdom and the rulers of the Puri Estate, with their current capital located at Puri. [5] The Gajapati Maharaja is the current Adhyasevaka (known as the first and foremost servitor) of Lord Jagannatha and among many rituals is involved in 'Chhera Pahara', the ritual involving the symbolic cleaning of the raths during Ratha Yatra (Puri). He is also the chairman of the Shri Jagannatha Temple Managing Committee [6] of the Jagannath Temple at Puri.
Dibyasingha Deba ascended the throne in 1970 at the age of 17 after the death of his father, the then Maharaja of Puri, Gajapati Birakishore Deba. Before taking the titular name of Dibyasingha Deba, he was named Jenamani Kamarnaba Deba. [7] He did his schooling from Convent School, Puri and Rajkumar College, Raipur in Chhattisgarh. He went on to pursue his graduation in History from the St. Stephens College from where he graduated in 1972 and then pursued LLB from Law Faculty at University of Delhi (1971-1975). He then pursued LLM from the North Western University of Law (1975-1976), Chicago before eventually taking on the traditional role of the titular King of Puri and hence the chairman of the Temple committee. Due to being abroad in Chicago in 1975-76, he skipped the Chhera Pahanra ritual that year. It was instead done by the Mudiratha servitor of the temple at that time. [1] [8] [9]
The Regnal year (known as Anka year) of the Maharaja used for the corresponding Odia year in the Odia calendar (panjis):
Gregorian year | Regnal year | Odia year | Anka year |
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2022 CE | 52 | ୧୪୩୦ ଉତ୍କଳାବ୍ଦ 1430 Utkaḷābda | ୬୫ ଅଙ୍କ 65 Aṅka |
As the titular head of the dynasty, the Gajapati Maharaja acts as the Chairman of the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and also attends to the rites and rituals of the temple during the festivals and religious occasions like Ratha Jatra, Bahuda Jatra, Pusyabhiseka, Snana Jatra and many other important socio-religious and cultural events. He also leads a team of scholars under the aegis of the Temple Administration named Shri Jagannatha Tatwa, Gabeshana O Prasara Upasamiti. [10]
Jagannatha is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister, Subhadra. Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, Purushottama, and the Para Brahman. To most Vaishnava Hindus, particularly the Krishnaites, Jagannath is an abstract representation of Krishna, or Vishnu, sometimes as the avatar of Krishna or Vishnu. To some Shaiva and Shakta Hindus, he is a symmetry-filled tantric form of Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation.
The Ratha Yatraof Puri, also rendered as the Ratha Jatra, is considered the oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival celebrated annually, on the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh (June–July). The festival is held at the city of Puri, in the state of Odisha, India and associated with the deity Jagannath. During the festival, three deities are drawn by a multitude of devotees in three massive, wooden chariots on bada danda to Gundicha Temple whereby they reside there for a week and then return to the Jagnannath temple.
Puri is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as Sri Jagannatha Dhama after the 12th-century Jagannath Temple located in the city. It is one of the original Char Dham pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu – one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. Puri is in the state of Odisha, on the eastern coast of India. King Indradyumna of Avanti has built the main temple of Jagannath at Puri. The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth 10th century onwards, on the site of pre-existing temples in the compound but not the main Jagannatha temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. many rumours are spread about the temple but there is no solid proof of it. The temple is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition.
The Eastern Ganga dynasty were a large medieval era Indian royal Hindu dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the mid 20th century. Eastern Gangas ruled much of the modern region of Odisha in three different phases by the passage of time, known as Early Eastern Gangas (493–1077), Imperial Eastern Gangas (1077–1436) and Khemundi Gangas (1436–1947). They are known as "Eastern Gangas" to distinguish them from the Western Gangas who ruled over Karnataka. The territory ruled by the dynasty consisted of the whole of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha, as well as major parts of north Andhra Pradesh, parts of Chhattisgarh and some southern districts of West Bengal. Odia language got official status in their regime following the evolution of the language from Odra Prakrit. The early rulers of the dynasty ruled from Dantapuram; the capital was later moved to Kalinganagara, and ultimately to Kataka and then to Paralakhemundi.
Odissi music is a genre of classical music in India, originated from the eastern state of Odisha. The traditional ritual music for the service of Lord Jagannatha, Odissi music has a history spanning over two thousand years, authentic sangita-shastras or treatises, unique Ragas & Talas and a distinctive style of rendition.
Kapilendra Deva was the founder of the Suryavamsa Gajapati Empire that ruled parts of eastern and southern India with the present-day Odisha as the center of the empire. He ascended to the throne after staging a military coup against the preceding and the last ruler from the Eastern Ganga dynasty, Bhanu Deva IV. He is also referred to as Kapilendra Routray or Sri Sri Kapilendra Deva. Kapilendra claimed descent from the Surya Vamsha of the Mahābhārata and was conferred the regnal title Shri Shri ...(108 times) Gajapati Gaudeshwara NabaKoti Karnata Kalabargeswara i.e. the Lord of Bengal (Gauda), the lord of the Karnataka region or Vijayanagara, the Lord of Kalaburagi and of nine crore subjects.
Gahana Bije is the ceremonial visit which is done by once in a generation of the Gajapati Queens of Odisha where they do special Puja to Lord Jagannatha.
Shri Shri Hari Baladev Jew Bije is a famous Hindu temple located in Baripada, Mayurbhanj district, in the state of Odisha, India. The name Jagannath is a combination of the Sanskrit words Jagat (Universe) and Nath.
Ratha Yatra, or Chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. They are held annually during festivals in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The term also refers to the popular annual Ratha Yatra of Puri. that involve a public procession with a chariot with deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana Chakra on a ratha, a wooden deula-shaped chariot.
The Nabakalebara 2015 is a celebration of the ancient ritual of the Nabakalebara associated with most of the Jagannath Temples when the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by a new set of idols; the last such festival of events was held in 1996. The period of the festival is chosen according to the Hindu Calendar, conforming to the astrological planetary positions. The festival during 2015 involves several schedules, and it has started from 23 March with Banajaga Yatra and will conclude with Rathayatra followed Sunabesa on 27 July, with many other rituals being held in between on specific dates. More than 5 million devotees are expected to participate in these rituals held in and around the temple complex of the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha.
Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 is an Act of Odisha Legislative Assembly enacted to control the management and affairs of the Jagannath Temple at Puri.
Prataparudra Deva was the third Gajapati emperor of Odisha from the Suryavamsa Gajapati Empire founded by his grandfather Kapilendra Deva Routaraya. He reigned from 1497 to 1540 CE. Besides being a monarch, he was a devout Vaishnava and adherent of the famous saint, Sri Chaitanaya who arrived in Odisha during his reign. His life was extremely occupied with overwhelming military campaigns in defense of his inherited territory from three frontal invasions by the enemy states Vijayanagar, Hussain Shahi dynasty of Bengal and Turko-Persian Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda. He lost large portions of his territory to the neighboring enemy states initiating the dissolution of Odisha's military hegemony and imperial status that continued for nearly a period of 600 years before him.
The Odia calendar is a solar calendar used by the Odia people from the Odisha region of the Indian subcontinent. The calendar follows the sidereal solar cycle while using the lunar Purnimanta phase for the religious dates. The New Year in the Odia calendar is known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti or Pana Sankranti. It occurs on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa, hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha. The Odia calendar follows the Utkaliya era, which began on Bhādra śukla dvādaśī from 592 CE.
Parlakhemundi estate was a Zamindari of Odisha in the British Raj period .Before odisha province formation it was under Madras Presidency.The state was ruled as an independent kingdom till 1769.The royal family belong to the Krishnatreya gotra Odia Kshatriya and traced their lineage to Eastern Ganga Dynasty.It was a zamindari estate lying in the southwestern portion of Ganjam district, covering an area of 615 square miles. It was bounded in the south by the district of Vizagpatnam and on the west by the Jeypore Estate and the tribal agencies of the Eastern Ghats.
The Bhoi dynasty or the Yaduvamsa dynasty were a medieval Hindu dynasty from the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Odisha that reigned from 1541 to 1560 CE. Govinda Vidyadhara had usurped the throne from the later weaker Suryavamsa Gajapati Empire rulers as the kingdom started weakening but had a short-lived reign as ruling chiefs of Odisha as the ensuing internal rivalries and constant threats of invasions rendered them weak and were eventually overthrown by Mukunda Deva of Chalukya dynasty in 1560.
Anka year system is a unique regnal year system used in the state of Odisha, India and was instituted by the rulers of the Eastern Ganga dynasty for dating their reigns. It had a number of features that mark the regnal year different from that actual duration of the year elapsed during the reign. The system still survives today and is used in the Odia calendar (panji) to mark the titular regnal year of the Gajapati Maharaja which is currently held by Divyasingha Deva IV of the Bhoi dynasty, whose title carries the legacy of the historical ruling monarchs of Odisha.
The Puri Estate was an estate ruled by the main branch of the Bhoi dynasty, who were reinstated in Puri in 1809 following the 1804 rebellion against the British and annexation of the Khurda Kingdom which were under their control. After the rebellion led by the Khurda king, Mukunda Deva II, the British decided to take control of the administration of the Khurda kingdom and Mukunda Deva II was exiled to Cuttack and Mindapore but was later reinstated and pensioned off to Puri to remain as a titular head of the dynasty while retaining control over the Jagannath Temple.
Gajapati is a regnal title from the region of modern Odisha in the Indian subcontinent. The word ‘Gajapati’ in Odia refers to "Gaja" meaning elephant and "Pati" meaning master or husband. Thus Gajapati etymologically means a king with an army of elephants. The institution of Gajapati kingship as a title was used by the Eastern Ganga dynasty and was used by succeeding dynasties, with the patronisation of Lord Jagannatha as the imperial deity of the Odia cultural realm.
Puri queen Lilabati Patamahadei accompanied by her husband Puri King Gajapati Dibya Singha Deba,