Dwadas Yatras of Sri Jagannath

Dwadas Yatras of Sri Jagannath
(Twelve Festivals of the Lord)
The temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri, a coastal
town near Bay of Bengal popularly known
"Mahodadhi", occupies a distinct place in the
entire religious world. The word Puri has been
derived from Purusottam Puri which is the
fundamental and original essence of Hindu
philosophy. Both temple and the Lords have deep
impact on the social life of people. The social life
of Srikhetra is more or
less spiritual and
cultural based. Amidst
hundreds of rites and
rituals and festivals in
the Jagannath Temple
during the whole year
such as Snana Yatra,
Hativesha, Anasar,
Chakata Bhog, Pana
Bhog, Fulurilagi, Osua
and Khalilagi, Sandal
paste offering, Raja
Prasad, Khali and Khadi prasad ceremony, Netro
Utchhaba, Pahandi Bije, Rath Yatra, Sweeping
or Chherapahara ceremony. Hera Panchami,
Gundicha Rahas, Rath returned festival,
Adharpana. Niladri Bije and sleeping Ekadasi,
Garuda sleeping Ekadasi, Dakhinayan
Bandapana, Chitalagi, Golden Pendant studded
with diamond, sapphire, blue gem and blood-stone
and emerald, Nrusing Yatra, Jhulan, Birthday of
Balabhadra, Sri Sudarsan's four Ashram journeys,
Rahurekha ceremony, Birth day ceremony of Sri
Krishna, Nanda Utsav, feast of Jungle, plum selling
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Orissa Review * July - 2005
Banamali Suar
ceremony, killing ceremony of demons (Asuras)
i.e. Baka, Argha, Dhenuka, Pralamba, and
Kekesi, Kaliyadalan, Mathurahato, Bastra Haran
(stealing of sarees) Debagni, Nikunjalila blind
game, Dahalila, killing of Kansa, birth day
ceremony of Baban, Indradhwaja Puja, Indra
Chandro Govind Elephant puja, Durga Madhab
Yatra, gambling, Dasahara, Rajavesha, Weapon
W o r s h i p ,
Radhadamodar vesha.
Hariutthan Ekadasi,
Sarato Rahasa, Dipa
offering, Shradha, Pusa
Abhishek, Makara
and Dhanumuan
Odana, Padmavesha,
Fire ceremony and
Dola Yatra, Ashoka
Astami, Birthday
ceremony of
Nrusingha and Sri
Rama and all his activities and plays from
childhood to killing of Ravana, Akhyayatrutia and
boating ceremony and marriage of Lord Jagannath
with mother Laxmi, only twelve festivals are
considered to be most important. Those are
observed one after another. Twelve months are
fixed for twelve yatras. In the month of Jyestha,
the marriage ceremony of Sri Jagannath takes
place on Ekadasi day with Goddess Laxmi who
writes a love letter expresing her desire for holy
union with Lord. Then begins the ceremony and
on fullmoon day, the grand bathing ceremony

Orissa Review * July - 2005
starts on Snana Vedi. In Ganesh Vesha, the Lords
appear very attractive and Anabasar day begins
for fifteen days. In the month of Ashadha - Ratha
and Bahuda Yatras are celebrated. This Yatra
(festival) is the greatest and most important among
all festivals. It attracts piligrims from all over the
world. In Skanda Purana, the festival has been
described as Mohavedi Mohoschhaba Yatra. It
was the pious wish and order of Supreme God
to king Indradyumna to arrange this festival in
every year and to drive Him to holy land of Sri
Nrusingha. In three chariots namely Taladhwaja
for God Balabhadra, Devidalana for Goddess
Subhadra and Nandighosa for God Sri Jagannath,
all deities are carried. In Devidalana, the Sudarsan
wheel designed as a log of wood is seated on
Her left side. The movable deities Sri Balaram
and Srikrishna in Taladhwaja and Sri
Madanmohan dev in Nandighosa are also carried.
All sects join in this festival. God Jagannath is
Supreme Bramhan and Purusottama. The greatest
psychic impact i.e. sense of unity, integrity and
brotherhood bind all piligrims into one entity. The
social life and spiritual life become one and same.
After Bahuda Yatra, when deities are carried into
the Temple in Pahandi, the last door closing
ceremony is observed in inner sanction of the main
Temple. The door opens by the order of Laxmi
after getting satisfactory nine answers from Sri
Jagannath. In last answer, the social status and
freedom of ladies are recognised by Sri
Jagannath.
In the month of Shravan - the Golden
Pendants, studded with diamond, sapphire,
emerald, blood stone, and blue gem etc. are
placed on foreheads of the deities. This is called
Chitalagi and the birthday ceremony of
Balabhadra is also observed.
In Bhadrava - birthday of Srikrishna is
observed. The Yatra begins from birth till killing
of Kansa Asura. During the entire period,
Nandoatchhab, Kolibika, Kaliyadalan (Defeat of
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Blacksnake by Srikrishna), Killing of eight demons
(generals of king Kansa), stealing game and
Kansa's death etc. are observed for nineteen days.
In these rites and rituals, the local inhabitants of
ancient streets (Sahis) take part directly. They
use to hold meetings and decide democratically
as to who will act as a demon. One person from
each Sahi on each appointed day is dressed and
decorated as a demon to display his game and
lila as per custom and tradition. The movable
representative deity of Sri Jagannath i.e. Sri
Madan Mohan after being permitted by Lord
Jagannath takes part in this festival.
In the month of Aswina - Durga puja
festival is celebrated for sixteen days. Sri Madhab
otherwise known Balapurusottam and Goddess
Durga together get united for the entire period
and Durgamadhab Rath Yatra is observed for nine
days and golden Rajavesha is observed on
Dasahara day.
In the month of Kartika a special Bhog
called Balabhog is offered and different Veshas
and decorations are made. Among those
Radhadamodara vesha continues from Dasahara
Ekadasi day to next tenth day. After newmoon
till full moon on every monday Harihara vesha is
observed for deity Sri Balabhadra. Harihara vesha
make the Lord half black and half white. Sri
Jagannath is decorated and dressed in
Laxminarayana vesha which begins from
Dasahara Ekadasi day. On twelfth day Baman or
Bankachuda vesha, on thirteenth day Tribikram
or Dalikia vesha and on fourteenth day Laxmi
Nrushingha vesha are performed and celebrated.
In the month of Margasira - Dipa Dana
ceremony and Pitrushradha are observed. A tree
is artistically erected on the ground in inner sactum
below Ratnasinghasan with sundried rice. After
it is purified, ghee earthen lamps (dipa) are placed
on different portions of said tree and then other
customary rituals follow. The outer part of temple

is also lightened with earthen lamps (Dipa) and
prayer is offered to Almighty for restoration of
peace, security and prosperity of the King and
his kingdom. In this month Ghodolagi begins. It
means covering of body with clothes to protect
from winter.
In the month of Pausa, Pahilibhog
ceremony is observed throughout the month. A
special cake is prepared out of blackgram wheat
flour and cow's ghee. On full moon day, the deities
are decorated with Golden Rajavesha and
coronation ceremony is also observed. On this
day Sri Rama's coronation ceremony was
celebrated at Ayodhya in the Ramayana days.
In the month of Magha, Padma vesha and
Gajauddharana vesha are performed.
In Falguna the famous Dola festival of the
Lords begins. After getting permission, Sri
Saraswati, Sri Laxmi, Sri Dolagovind and
Madanmohan come to Dolavedi (alter) where the
deities play with red colour powder i.e. called
Fagu or Abira.
In the month of Chaitra, the birthday
ceremony of Sri Rama is observed. The movable
representative deity Sri Rama after getting
permission from Sri Jagannath takes part in such
rites and rituals. All activities and plays from his
childhood till killing of the demon king Ravan are
customarily and traditionally observed. In this
cultural yatra, there comes active participation
of local inhabitants.
In Baisakha begins the Chaitra Gundicha
yatra i.e. Chandan Festival for 42 days. Out of
these days, only twentyone days are observed
outside the temple in the sacred Narendra Tank.
Two decorated boats are used for the boating
ceremony. In the first boat, Sri Balaram and
Srikrishna and five famous Sivas of Srikhetra such
as Jameswar, Lokanath, Markandeswar,
Kapalamochan and Nilakantheswar use to sit. In
the second boat Sri Madanmohan Dev,
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Orissa Review * July - 2005
representative of Sri Jagannath alongwith mother
Laxmi and Saraswati sits together. After boating
of first phase, deities are carried to a small temple
inside the Tank. Inside the temple, there is a small
sweet scented water tank. Together Sri
Madanmohan, Laxmi and Saraswati use to have
secret play and enjoyment for some hours. None
is permitted to see this bathing ceremony. The
doors remain closed under lock and key. Other
deities use to take bath in different tanks openly.
On the beginning day of boating ceremony,
the Ratha preparation is being permitted by the
Lords with performance of rites and rituals. Thus
the above twelve festivals are observed for the
Lords in twelve months. Harmony and balance
have been maintained in all rites and rituals and in
all festivals in order to establish a sense of unity
among all castes, sects and religious faiths. Lord
Jagannath is Purusottama. This has been well
narrated in the first line of Bhismadeva's answer
to the six questions of Judhisthira as mentioned in
Visnusahasranama. He has been addressed as
Atmayoni and Swayamjata which mean that
Almighty Purusottama has no mother. He himself
is the Creator and Destroyer, and Operator as
mother. Thus he is both mother and father. He is
both thesis and synthesis. The cultural values are
unity, uniformity and universality. Lord Balabhadra
and Goddess Subhadra are inseparable part of
Sri Jagannath. That is why He is the main presiding
deity recognised and worshipped by all sects, and
devotees of all religious faiths. His Bhoga
mahaprasad is world famous. It has established
socialism by derecognising the casteism, colour
feeling and creed and special privilege. Nowhere
in the religious arena ever exists such culture
which is unique and incomparable.
Banamali Suar is an Advocate who lives at Dolamandap
Sahi, Puri. He is also a Sevayat in Lord Jagannath Temple,
Puri.