Nabakalebara | |
---|---|
![]() Festival logo | |
Genre | Religious |
Begins | 29 March 2015 |
Ends | 17 July 2015 |
Frequency | 19/8/12 years |
Location(s) | Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha |
Inaugurated | 1733 |
Founder | Gajapati Ramachandra Deba (Abhinav Indradyumna) |
Previous event | 1996 |
Next event | 17 July 2034 |
Participants | Pilgrims |
Attendance | 5 million (approx.) |
Patron(s) | Gajapati Maharaj Puri |
Website | nabakalebara.gov.in |
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. [1] The festival during 2015 involves several schedules, and it has started from 23 March with Banajaga Yatra (a process of search to select the neem tree to make new images to replace the old ones) and will conclude with Rathayatra followed Sunabesa (adorning the new images of gods with golden attire) on 27 July, with many other rituals being held in between on specific dates. [2] 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. [3]
The exact year of origin of when the ritual Nabakalebara was started is not known. But on many occasions the deities had to be secretly buried or shifted from the temple when it was attacked by external forces. After the threat had passed the images, though retrieved, had to be made anew and reinstalled. One such recorded event was in 1600 when king Yajati is reported to have conducted this ritual after he had retrieved the images from Sonpur where they had been buried during an attack by Muslim invaders. When the wooden statues were unearthed by the king he found them in a state of decay and therefore got new images carved and installed on altar of the temple. [4]
Another version of the history is that after Muslims invaded Odisha, the iconoclasts had burnt the images on the coast. Even the Afghan defied the command of Akbar and had desecrated the Jagannath temple. Following this Man Singh had captured Odisha in 1578. However, Besara Mohanty, a Vaishnava wandering saint had gathered the charred remains of the image, known as "Brahma padartha", and carried it to Kujang. Then, according to the Jagannath temple chronicle sources, Ramachandra Deb, Raja of Khurda, took the sacred remains from Kujang and sanctified it within the new image of Jagannath. [5]
Nabakalebara festival is a much bigger and of longer duration than the annual Ratha Yatra at Puri [6] According to Anncharlott Eschmann, it is a Sanskritized version of a tribal ritual of the Khond tribes. It is said that "proto-types" of this ceremony are practiced by the Kond. [7]
The festival rituals are held over a long period of 65 days to replace the old images known as "Daru Brahma", meaning Brahma (divine life force) in the shape of wood, of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Sudarshana, by new ones made of neem tree wood.; the search for the appropriate neem Daru Brahma wood, its carriage to the carving site precedes the start of the Nabakalebara festival. It is begun in the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra Shukla Dashami (10th day of bright half of Lunar month) day. [3]
The rituals are held when an Adhikamasa (intercalary month) of Ashadha (June/July), when two lunar months of Ashadha (four lunar fortnights) fall in one year, as per the Hindu Calendar. Such a rare occasion usually occurs once in 12 years, but the gap may range from eight to 19 years. In the 20th century, Nabakalebara was celebrated in 1912, 1931, 1950, 1969, 1977 and 1996. In the 21st century, the first Nabakalebara is being held for a period starting from 29 March 2015 and ending with Niladribije on 30 July as per schedule announced by the temple administration. [2] [3] Lord Jagannatha who is a central figure of the rituals is worshipped in the Jagannath Temple, Puri as the king of the Universe. He is hierarchically number one in the realm, while the maharaja Gajapati of Puri holds the second position and is the chief servitor of the temple. The maharaja would present gifts to Jagannath but also receive gifts from representatives of feudatory kings, and his jurisdiction extended to tribal areas. To the people of Puri, the gods took the unusual form of huge wooden stumps, since they had lived with the tribal people. While the king got the images deified in a Hindu temple after elaborate religious ceremonies of the Nabakalebara, its tribal incomplete form, called "virupa" was retained but encased with cloth and resin. As the images are made of wood they would inevitably rot, similar to the human beings, and need replacement. It is this replacement which is performed with elaborate rituals called Nabakalebara. [7] [8] Navakalevara meaning "New Body or re-embodiment" is a composite of two words ‘Nava’ meaning "New" and ‘Kalevara’ meaning "Body". [1] It is only the body of the gods that is changed during the rituals as it would be deteriorate with time but the Brahman or the "Brahmapadartha (soul-substance)" within the wooden body (called "Daru Brahma" or the "Prime-Soul enshrined in wood" [1] ) is transferred from the old images to the new through a secret religious rigmarole. [9]
The Nabakalebara 2015 rituals were held as per the following schedule. [2]
Some key events of the rituals before, during and after the Nabakalebara 2015 such as Banajaga Yatra, Debasnana Purnima, Netroutsav, Navajoubana besha, Rath Yatra and Sunabesa are detailed. [2]
Banajaga Yatra (pronounced as Banajāga Jātra) precedes the main events of Nabakalebara. This yatra or expedition is an expedition undertaken to locate the holy trees or "darus" from which the new idols of the gods are to be carved. This task is entrusted to the rightful daityas, spelled locally as daitas, who are servitors of the temple deities. After offering prayers and performing prescribed rituals, the team of daityas (usually about 100) headed by a leader called the "Dalapati" go to the palace of the maharaja Gajapati, who is the chief servitor of the Jagannath Temple, seeking his permission to undertake the journey to find the suitable trees for carving new images of each of the four deities. The King gives them permission by offering them betel nut, in the presence of his Rajaguru or chief priest. [8] The team of daityas, led by their leader walk barefoot about 50 km and halt at Deuli Matha on the first day and then proceed to the Kakatpur Mangala Temple to offer prayers. Four daityas (senior servitors) sleep in front of the goddess seeking divine guidance on the location of the neem trees. [12]
The servitors then proceed in search of the neem trees appropriate for each of the deities in accordance with the prescribed signs, size, and locations. After selection of the trees they are worshipped, covered with white cloth and then felled. They are then carried on wooden carts in a long procession through villages accompanied by beating of drums and cymbals to the venue of a temporary carving shed in the Koili Baikuntha near the temple. Here, worship is done to the neem logs every day and prasad food offering given till the Debasnana Purnima day. [3]
During 2015, the Banajaga Yatra commenced from Puri on 29 March. [10] Announcement about the location of the daru (neem tree) for Lord Sudarshana was made around midnight on Saturday, 11 April 2015. [13]
The daru of Jagannath
The tree selected for Jagannath daru should ordinarily be away from human settlement. It should look dark or dark-red in colour. The trunk of the tree should look straight having four clear branches. The tree, furthermore, should be 7 to 12 cubit high and should have grown near a river or a pond or on a crossing of 3 path-ways. [18]
The daru of Balabhadra
The bark of the tree for Balabhadra should look light brown in color. The tree needs to have seven branches looking like the form of a canopy and the hood of a cobra. The tree should have the divine marks of a plough, pestle and the weapons of Balabhadra. [19]
The daru of Goddess Subhadra
The tree meant for Goddess Subhadra should look yellow in colour. It should have five clear branches and bear the mark of a lotus flower with five petals. [19]
The daru of Sudarsan
The tree meant for Sudarsan should be reddish in colour. It should have three branches. There should be a mark of a Chakra on any part of the tree. The tree should also have a depression in the middle. [19]
As the arrival of the new logs called Nyasa Daru in the precincts of the temple is made known, the maharaja offers oblations at the Jagannath temple (also known as Shri Kshetra) before the carving of the idols is started; the king appoints one of his Rajaguru as the chief priest for this occasion. [8] The logs are given a bath on this day which is called Snana Poornima or Debasnana Purnima. Concurrently old idols in the temple are also bathed. [3] Following this the temple is closed for devotees. This is known as the period of Mahaanasara in the two Ashada months, extending to 45 days. The first 15 days of this period is the lunar dark half month (Krishna paksha) designated to start the carving of new images. Then the process of carving of the images of the four deities begins, which is done by fifty maharanas (carpenters) over a period of 21 days. On completion of the carvings the new images are circumambulated around the temple. Following this the new and the old images are kept at one place facing each other to initiate the process of transfer of Brahmapadartha embedded in the heart of old idols to the new images. This is done in total secrecy at the midnight hour. Even the priests who perform this task are blindfolded as it is a belief that any one watching this transfer would die. On this occasion there is black out in the entire town. [3] The event was slated to be conducted within the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath temple at the midnight hour of 15 June 2015. [12]
Once the transfer of the Brahmapadartha (soul-substance) [20] ) is completed the old images are declared dead. Then these images are carried along with all the secondary deities kept in the chariots and buried at the Koili Baikuntha. This is done as Lord Jagannath is considered to the head of the family of the Daitapati servitors. After the burial (known as "Patali", during the second fortnight of the Mahanasara period [20] ) the funeral obsequies are observed by the daityas for 10 days followed by bathing. A feast is then held on the 12th day and Mahaprasad distributed to the devotees. [3]
On completion of the obsequies to the old images, the new images of the four deities are given a protective cover with "Saptavarana" meaning seven substances such as sandalwood paste, musk, resin, silk and so forth. The artists then paint the images with indigenous colours. [3] This activity is done during the last fortnight of the Mahaanasara period.
After the images are painted, the eyelids of the deities are formally opened in a ritual known as "Netrotsava" meaning "opening of the eyes". This is done exclusively by the Brahmin priests of the temple as a "final life-infusing ritual." [3] This was scheduled to be done on 16 July 2015. [2] On the day after the images are infused with life they are taken in a procession for viewing by the public, which is called "Naba jaubana darshan" (viewing of the new images). [3]
After the Naba jaubana darshan held on 17 July, the deities will be brought out the next day for the Rathayatra, which is a grand annual event. The process of building three new chariots to carry the three deities of the temple has already started from the Basant Panchami day on 24 January 2015. [3] The new images, which are a replica of the old ones which are buried, will be on display for public viewing at the chariot festival which will be held in Puri. [7]
The Sunabesa or Suna Besha is an event that is held on the third day of the Rathayatra when the deities reach the Singhdwar they will be seen decorated with golden ornaments. This was held on 27 July. The gold ornaments are stated to be a donation by King Kapilendra Deb. Initially, ornaments consisted of 135 designs weighing about 208 kg but now only 20-30 designs are used to decorate the deities. [21] [22]
Jagannatha is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with his (Krishna's) 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, sometimes as the avatar of 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. This return trip is referred to as the Bahuda Yatra.
Subhadra is a princess of Dvārakā mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. She is the sister of deities Krishna and Balarama in Hindu mythology. Subhadra married Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers and had a son named Abhimanyu.
Puri, also known as, Jagannath 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 home to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple and is one of the original Char Dham pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
The Jagannath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Jagannath, a form of Vishnu in Hinduism. It is located in Puri in the state of Odisha, situated on the eastern coast of India. As per temple records, King Indradyumna of Avanti built the main temple of Jagannath at Puri. The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth century onwards, on the site of the pre-existing temples in the compound, but not the main Jagannath temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Many of the temple rituals are based on Oddiyana Tantras which are the refined versions of Mahayana Tantras as well as Shabari Tantras which are evolved from Tantric Buddhism and tribal beliefs respectively. The local legends link the idols with aboriginal tribes and the daitapatis (servitors) claim to be descendants of the aboriginals. The temple is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of the Vaishnavite tradition.
The Rathayatra of Mahesh is the oldest chariot festival in Bengal, and is said to have been celebrated since 1396. The first temple of Jagannath Deb was built by Raja Manohar Roy of Sheoraphuli Raj who also donated a large portion of land in establishing the Jagganathpur Mouza. It is held in Mahesh, a historical locality within Serampore in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a week-long festival and a grand fair is held at that time. People throng to have a share in pulling the long ropes (Rosshi) attached to the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra on the journey from the temple to Mahesh Gundicha Bari and back within 8th day.
Maa Mangala Mandir is a Hindu Shakti Pitha located in Kakatpur of Odisha, on the eastern coast of India.
Nabakalebara also spelled as Navakalevara is the ritualistic recreation of the wooden icons of four Hindu deities at Jagannath Temple, Puri. The ritual is performed during the 8th, 12th, or 19th year after the previous Nabakalebara.
The Snana Yatra, also spelt Snana Jatra, is a bathing festival of deities celebrated on the purnima of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha. It is the auspicious birthday of Jagannath.
Gundicha Temple, is a Hindu temple, situated in the temple town of Puri in the state of Odisha, India. It is significant for being the destination of the celebrated annual Rath Yatra of Puri. While it remains vacant most of the year, the temple is occupied by images of the deities of Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra for seven complete days every year during the annual Rath Yatra festival.
The Char Dham, or the Chatur Dhama, is a set of four Hindu pilgrimage sites in India, consisting of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. Badrinath, Dwarka, and Puri are shrines of Vishnu, whereas Rameswaram is a shrine of Shiva.
Jagannath temple is a Hindu temple at Nayagarh, Odisha, India. It was erected by Vinayak Singh Mandhata in between 1788 and 1808 CE. The architect of the unfinished temple was the father of the poet Yadumani. Jagannath temple at Laxmi Prasad area was erected by Jadunath Mangaraja, a king of Khandapada. It was reconstructed in 1972 by one Sri Nilakantha Sahu. Jagannath temple at Khandapada was erected by the king of Khandapada. The temple is in pancharatha Rekha Deula style, while the Jaga mohan and Natamandapa are in Pidha Deula style. The idol of Jagannath called DadhiVanana was brought from the temple at Tikiripada and installed here. The idols from this temple were installed there. Jagannath temple at Tikiripada was constructed with the stones of the tomb of Gosinha Daitya, a demon ruling in this area in the past, whose fort is located inside Baisipalli, also known as Gosinhagarh during the epic period. The first temple was constructed in 1850. It was due to the flood of the Mahanadi in that year. The Jagannath temple at Ranpur was erected by King Udhaba Singh in 1324-1363 CE. The Jagannath temple at Daspalla is also an old one and Rajapratisthita. Jagannath temple at Sikharpur (Saranakul) is a unique one where bread (Roti) is offered to the Lord, his queen built the Mukhashala. Main festival here is Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra.
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.
Jagannath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to the divine trinity Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra. It is located in Kannathur off the East Coast Road on the Bay of Bengal coast. The temple is built in Kalinga architecture and the annual Rathyatra is the main festival celebrated in the temple.
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 involves a public procession with a chariot with deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana Chakra on a ratha, a wooden deula-shaped chariot.
Suna Besha, also known as Rajadhiraja beshaRaja Besha and Rajarajeshwara Besha, is an event when the Hindu deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are adorned with gold jewelry. Suna Bhesha is observed 5 times during a year. It is commonly observed on [pousha purnima ] Purnima (January), Bahuda Ekadashi (July), Dashahara (October), Kartik Purnima (November), and Dola Purnima (march). The name Suna Bhesha is derived from two words, 'Suna' meaning "gold" and 'Bhesha' meaning "costume".
Jagannath Temple, Rayagada, stands at the southern side of the town Rayagada. The temple was originally built more than 50 years back.
In Odia and Sanskrit, Besha means dress or adornment. Lord Jagannath and his siblings are adorned with different beshas throughout the year. Out of all beshas of lord Jagannath and his siblings, the Suna Besha, are held several times during a year. The all beshas of lord Jagannath and his siblings are listed below :
Bisara Mohanty was a devotee and historical figure of Jagannath culture, who rescued Daru Brahma of Lord Jagannath from the river Ganga. He was a contemporary of King Ramachandra Deva I.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)