Work of art sets the mood for mega festival in Puri

Minati Singha,TNN | Mar 24, 2015

BHUBANESWAR: Inspired by legends and rituals of Jagannath's Nabakalebara - creation of new idols of the deities -16 artists carved out a series of installations at Lalit Kala Akademi here.

Eight contemporary artists in association with as many traditional craftspeople, also servitors of Jagannath Temple in Puri, worked on different media to create wonder.

An eight-foot bifurcated 'Arun Stambha' stood tall at the entrance to the akademi. The artists inscribed rituals related to the mega festival on it. "By embracing the one at the Puri temple, devotees get the feeling of oneness with the lord," said Veejayant Das, who created the installation titled 'Yet, with a difference' with Madan Mohapatra.

A neem tree on the premises with the paintings of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra on its three branches was an instant hit with visitors. Artist Smrutikanta Rout used primary colours to paint the three deities and draped the tree with colourful cloths.

"Traditional artists were roped in to bring out the real artwork of the temple," said noted artist Ramahari Jena.

'Chhapan Bhog' of Jagannath find place on earthen pots, which are used to carry them in the temple, in an installation created by Pinaki Mohanty. The added sound effect creates an impression of Anand Bazaar.

To show the transformation that occurs during Nabakalebara, Kanta Kishore Maharana and Anil Maharana worked on three logs from which the idols would be created. They used all ingredients used for worshiping the deities on it.

Somnath Rout along with Srikar Mahapatra used yantra-mystical diagrams and mustard seeds to create a map of the Jagannath Temple.

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Servitors Seek Puri King's Mediation in Darshan Curbs

Published: 22nd March 2015 

PURI: Daitapatis of the Jagannath temple at Puri met the Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingh Deb on Saturday, appealing him to reconsider the decision to restrict ‘Nabajoubana Darshan’ of the deities on July 17, a day before the Rath Yatra.

They said the decision to prohibit public darshan of the Trinity in their Nabajoubana (youthful avatar) has hurt religious sentiments of lakhs of devotees. The Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) took the decision apprehending rush inside the temple.

Secretary of the Daitapati Nijog, Premananda Dasmahapatra said the Gajapati assured them to place the issue again before the SJTA for consideration.

In another development, the SJTA on Saturday finalised the 121-member team for the Banajaga Yatra. Among others, the team would comprise 96 Daitapatis, 16 Shrotriya Brahmins, two purohits of the Jagannath temple, as many Rajgurus and four Biswakarmas. The team would begin the Banajaga Yatra on March 29.

The team members were selected at the SJTA meeting that was presided by the Gajapati Maharaj. Among the 121 members, four sub-committees would be formed. Among others, chief of Daitapati servitors Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra and temple chief administrator Suresh Chandra Mahapatra were present.

Union Minister Visits Puri Temple

The Union Tourism Minister, Mahesh Sharma met the Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati at the Goverdhan Mutt in Puri on Saturday.

Sharma, along with Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, was in Odisha to review the Nabakalebara preparations. He also paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra at the 12th century Jagannath temple later in the day.

Addressing mediapersons outside the temple, Sharma said Raghurajpur would be transformed into a model village and the Ministry will extend all assistance for the purpose. “An amount of `10 crore has already been provided to the State Government for development of the craft village and more funds would be sanctioned soon,” he said, adding that the rare art of Pattachitra would be globally publicised by the Ministry.

On the conservation work being undertaken at the Jagannath temple by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Sharma said the ASI is doing a good job.

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Nabakalebara: Leader chosen for idol wood trip

Bhubaneswar, March 21: The Puri temple administration today announced 62-year-old Haladhar Das Mohapatra as the leader of the 100-member team, which will embark on a journey from March 29 in search of the sacred wood for making the idols of Lord Jagannath and His siblings.

Elated over the announcement, Das Mohapatra said: "I am happy that everyone has reposed their faith in me. On the blessings of Lord Jagannath, we will certainly find the required wood."

According to the programme, the team will begin their journey on March 29 from Puri and reach Kakatpur covering a distance of 70km. There the team will perform the required rituals at Maa Mangala Temple before venturing into various areas to find the wood.

However, at a time, when the administration is gearing up to make the Nabakalebar a grand success, the BJP has given the naba jauban darshan issue a political turn.

The BJP members today voiced their protest in the Assembly against the temple administration's decision to debar devotees from naba jauban darshan (witnessing the deities after the change of idols) during Nabakalebar. They demanded a ruling from the Speaker directing the state government to revoke the decision.

But, Speaker Niranjan Pujari did not give any direction to the state government in this regard. "I have heard your views and so has the government," he said.

The naba jauban darshan will be held on July 17, a day before rath yatra (car festival). Every year, the devotees are allowed to have a glimpse of Lord Jagannath and His siblings following recovery from their "sickness" after the grand bath. But this year, the temple management committee has decided not to allow the devotees to have this special darshan of the deities, citing security reasons. This year, around 50 lakh devotes are expected to visit Puri on the occasion of Nabakalebar, which is being held after 1996.

Raising the issue in the Assembly during Zero Hour today, BJP's Bibhuti Bhusan Harichandan said the decision to deprive the devotees from the naba jauban darshanwas against the custom and tradition of the 12th century temple. Arguing that such a move would hurt the religious sentiments of the lakhs of devotees across the globe, he demanded rollback of the decision.

Supporting him, his party colleague, Rabi Narayan Naik, said it was ridiculous on part of the state government to plead inability to provide security to the devotees. He urged the Speaker to direct the government to ensure that the devotees were allowed to have the special darshan.

Pradip Purohit, also of the BJP, said the state government had no right to interfere in the rituals pertaining to the Jagannath cult. "If the government does interfere, it will invite its own downfall," said an agitated Purohit.

However, BJD spokesperson Amar Prasad Satpathy said the decision was not taken by the state government but by the temple managing committee headed by the king of Puri, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, who is believed to the first servitor of the Lord and His siblings.

"The question of reconsideration of the decision depends upon the temple administration. The state government should not be unnecessarily drawn into any controversy," he said.

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Last Devadasi of Jagannath Temple Dead

Published: 20th March 2015 

PURI: Sashimani Devi, the last surviving Devadasi of Jagannath temple in Puri, passed away at her residence in Dolamandap Sahi here on Thursday. She was 92 and was ailing for the last eight years due to old ag​e related health problems. With her death, the traditional Devadasi Seva in the 12th century Jagannath temple has come to an end.

At the age of 12, Sashimani was inducted into Devadasi Seva after being ceremonially married to Lord Jagannath. As a part of her duties, she used to dance before the Lord during Badasimhar Vesha and festivals related to the temple, including Chandan Jatra.

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Chariot fest of Jagannath to begin July 18

Bhubaneswar, March 18, 2015 (IANS)

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Odisha's pilgrim town Puri on Wednesday approved an annual budget of Rs.239 crore for 2015-16 and announced the schedule for the "Nabakalebar" festival.

A decision to this effect was taken at a managing committee meeting chaired by Puri king Gajapati Dibya Singha Dev. 

During "Nabakalebar", the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by a new set of idols. 

As per the schedule, while the Banajaga Yatra would begin on March 29, the Rath Yatra (chariot festival) is scheduled to be held on July 18, said an official. 

SJTA chief administrator Suresh Mohapatra said the "Brahma Paribartan" (infusion of soul into the new bodies of the deities) would take place on June 15 while the "Nabajaubana Darshan" (the first sight of the deities in their new bodies) would take place on July 17, a day ahead of the chariot festival. 

He said Rs.239 crore budget would be spent on upgradation of infrastructure at the temple, augment lodging facilities for pilgrims visiting the town and welfare of the servitors. 

The state government expects congregation of about 50 lakh people during the festival.

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Puri stampede report goes missing

Crowd management crucial as 50 lakh people to witness Nabakalebar 

Bhubaneswar, March 17: The judicial commission's report on 1993 stampede that took place on the premises of Jagannath temple in Puri has reportedly gone missing from the state secretariat. The tragedy had claimed three lives. 

The stampede occurred when a huge crowd had gathered in the temple to witness the Nagarjuna Vesha (when the deities are dressed like warriors) of Lord Jagannath. Police had failed to control the devotees. While three devotees were asphyxiated to death, many others suffered injuries. 

Following a hue and cry, the then Janata Dal government, led by Biju Patnaik, father of incumbent chief minister Naveen Patnaik, had appointed a commission, headed by former Orissa High Court Justice Jiban Mohan Mohapatra on December 5, 1993, to probe the tragedy. 

The issue of the file containing the commission's report having gone missing came to light today when law minister Arun Sahu told the Assembly about it while replying to a question of the BJP's Rourkela MLA Dillip Ray. 

The minister said the commission's report that had submitted to the then chief minister, J.B. Patnaik, in 1995 had not reached his department. Sahu said: "Justice Mohapatra informed the state government that he submitted the report to the then chief minister, J.B. Patnaik, on August 31, 1995. But, the report has yet to reach the law department." 

However, J.B. Patnaik told The Telegraph that the state government had knowingly made such a statement in the House to mislead the people. 

"One must know that a judicial commission submits not just a single report to the chief minister. It also submits it copies to the home department and the law department. Where are those copies now? It should be inquired," said Patnaik. Patnaik also said such reports were kept by the Chief Minister's Office and not by the chief minister himself. "Earlier, I had also made it clear that the report is not with me. Now, efforts should be made to find out where the report is lying." 

The judicial commission's report assumes significance, as crowd management would be a major issue during the upcoming Nabakalebar of Lord Jagannath and His siblings when their idols will be replaced with the new ones. Nearly 50 lakh people are expected to congregate in Puri to witness the event in July. 

Sources said Justice Mohapatra had passed adverse remarks against some political leaders, administrators and the police in his report and made some valuable recommendations to avoid repetition of such unfortunate incident in the Jagannath temple. 

But, as the successive governments have found it difficult to accept the recommendations, the report could never come to light. 

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Nabakalebar Rath Yatra to be promoted as a global event

New Delhi, Mar 13(PTI) 

The Tourism Ministry in coordination with the Petroleum Ministry will observe the 'Nabakalebar Rath Yatra' in Odisha as an international tourism event this year and take several measures for its global branding and promotion.

The 2015 Rath Yatra has been named Nabakalebar Rath Yatra as this comes after 19 years.

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a review meeting with Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma today which was attended by Secretaries of Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

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Nabakalebara: Preparations afoot for Banajaga Yatra

PURI: Massive infrastructure works are being undertaken at the Deuli Mutt, Alarnath temple and Jagannath Ballav Mutt ahead of the Banajaga Yatra, the journey for search of Daru (neem trees for carving of new idols). All the three religious structures are associated with Nabakalebara rituals of Lord Jagannath and his siblings. Banajaga Yatra is considered the opening chapter of Nabakalebara.

A group of priests consisting of Daitapatis, Pati Mahapatra Sevaks and Vishwakarmas (carpenters) will start its journey from Jagannath Ballav Mutt in Puri on March 29 and arrive at Deuli Mutt in Kakatpur on April 2. The Daitapatis will stay in the Jagannath Ballav Mutt for 36 hours before they set out on their journey. They would stay at Deuli Mutt for a week seeking Goddess Mangala’s divine instructions on the location of the Neem trees.

After taking the blessings of Maa Mangala, the presiding deity of Kakatpur, they will be divided into different groups and move out in search of the neem trees with holy symbols. Once a Daru is located, the Pati Mahapatra first touches it with a golden axe followed by the Daitapati who touches it with a silver axe. Lastly, the head wood carver of the Maharana family would touch it with an iron axe. During the tree cutting, the 108 names of Lord Jagannath will be chanted and after it is felled, the trunks along with its branches would be placed in a wooden cart and dragged by the Daitapatis and the others in the group to the Puri temple.

While the Culture Department has roped in INTACH to implement renovation works in the Mangala temple at a cost of ` one crore, Tourism Department is spending `3.5 crore and ` two crore for repair and development works in Alarnath temple and Deuli Mutt respectively. Similarly, accommodation facilities for pilgrims and servitors and an interpretation centre on Jagannath culture are in the offing for the Jagannath Ballav Mutt at Puri.

The Tourism Department is expecting massive gathering at Alarnath temple in the wake of ‘Maha Anasara’ ritual that will be observed for 45 days this time. An Ananda Bazaar, a large kitchen and tourist amenities are being constructed at the temple. The 24-km road from Puri to Alarnath near Brahmagiri is being widened.

Training Camp for Young Daitas

A two-day training camp for young members of the Daitapati community on the rituals and practices associated with Nabakalebara was started here on Saturday. It was inaugurated by Law Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo.

As the last Nabakelabara was held 19 years back, the young Daitas, who would be accompanying the Banajaga Yatra team have no idea about the practices involved in it, said chief administrator of the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration Suresh Chandra Mohapatra. “This necessitated the need for a training camp where senior members of the Daitapati community will train them,” he added.

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INTACH Odisha sets out to explore old Jagannath Sadak

BHUBANESWAR, March 12, 2015 : The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Odisha, has set out to document monuments which existed along old Jagannath Sadak, the road stretch used by all pilgrims travelling from Kolkata to the Jagannath Temple at Puri in late 1700s.

INTACH’s initiative of exploring road and structures which had supported pilgrimage activities coincides with Lord’s Nabakalebara festival, which is to be celebrated after a gap of 19 years this year.

A four man delegation comprising INTACH’s State Convenor A.B. Tripathy, Ananta Mohapatro, Sanjeev Hota and Anil Dhir toured the entire stretch of the Old Jagannath Sadak from Jaleswar to Bhadrak recently.

According to INTACH, “The Jagganath Sadak was the old pilgrim road from Calcutta to Puri. It took form in the late 1700’s and was the lifeline for all pilgrims who came to the Lord’s abode at Puri. It was, from 1825, known as the Orissa Trunk Road, but for the devotees, it has always been the Jagannath Sadak.”

“The road had touched Midnapore, Balasore, Niligiri, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Dharamshala, Chhatia, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Pipili. Travellers used to cover distances by bullock carts, hackneys, palanquins, horses and elephants, but most of them trudged on foot,” it said.

INTACH said, “There were many amenities for the pilgrims and travellers. There were choultries, dharamshalas, wells, tanks, culverts, bridges, temples, rest-sheds and ghats. Many remnants of these are still visible on isolated stretches of the erstwhile grand road.”

In fact, toll tax from the pilgrims was collected from the time of the Mughals, a tradition which continued under the Maratha regime too, it said.

However, with the advent of the railways in 1892, the Jagannath Sadak fell into disuse and over the next few years was lost forever. The railways shortened the travel time from three weeks to eighteen hours.

As it was a coastal road, many stretches of the road vanished with time, it was encroached upon by villages and some lengths now form the NH-5 and the railway.

“There is wanton destruction of heritage monuments, structures, wells and ponds of the old road,” Mr. Tripathy lamented.

“This was the road which was taken by the marauding Mughals, Afghans, Marathas and later on the British to conquer Odisha. This was the road on which Chaitanya, Guru Nanak and Kabir travelled when they visited Puri. The road played a very important role in the formation of the State of Odisha and the spread of Jagannath culture,” INTACH members said.

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Decks cleared for Banajaga Yatra at Puri on March 29

Odisha Sun Times Bureau Puri, Mar 11:

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) today held an important meeting with the Daitapati Nijog (body of Daitapati servitors) as part of the preparations for the Nabakalebara Yatra of Lord Jagannath scheduled this year at the temple office here in Odisha’s pilgrim town of Puri.

Maa Mangala temple at Kakatpur (Pic: Biswaranjan Mishra)

The team for the Banajaga Yatra – the journey for search of daru (neem trees for carving of new idols) will start its onward journey from Puri on March 29 and will arrive at the Deuli Mutt in Kakatpur on April 2.

Banajaga Yatra is considered the opening chapter of the Nabakalebara process of the Lords.

Today’s meeting decided to conduct the majana niti of Maa Mangala, the presiding deity of Kakatpur, on April 3 at an auspicious moment.

It was also decided at the meeting to hold a two-day training camp for young members of the Daitapati community on the rituals and practices associated with Nabakalebara process of the Lords on 14thand 15th of this month, said chief administrator of the SJTA Suresh Chandra Mohapatra.

He said a team from the Daitapati community led by him will visit the places where the Banajaga Yatra team members will take rest and the Deuli Mutt to take stock of the situation and arrangements made there.

“They will be going from here to the Deuli Mutt during the Banajaga Yatra. We discussed issues pertaining to it. Today we made a final selection of clothes to be used during different rituals like shudhhi kriya etc. Orders will be immediately placed for its purchase. We held detailed discussions on the all other arrangements required for the Banajaga Yatra. The Daitapati Nijog has already decided to hold the training camp on March 15 and 16. Young members of their community will be taking the training on Nabakalebara process since the last Nabakalebara Yatra of Lords was held 19 years back and youngsters who would be accompanying the Banajaga team will have no idea about the practices involved in it. That is why they need to be trained. Senior members of the Daitapati community and guests from outside will be imparting training to the young members. The temple administration has provided financial assistance for holding the training camp,” said Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, chief administrator SJTA briefing newsmen after the meeting.

The Daitapati Nijog has said that the Nabakalebara Yatra of the Lords will be conducted smoothly and in a disciplined manner.

“Members of the Daitapati Nijog have bestowed all responsibilities on him (Suresh Mohapatra) and everything will be done in accordance as per his directions and advice. We will give our full cooperation for the Banajaga Yatra. On March 29, we will begin Banajaga Yatra. It was decided at the meeting to hold a training camp for the young members of our community. Our Nijog will impart training to the younger generation on the practices and rituals associated with Nabakalebara Yatra,” said Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, president of Daitapati Nijog.

“Young members of our community will be trained by our senior members; it will be also attended by the chief administrator. The temple administration has been informed of the names of the senior Daitapatis who will be imparting training. The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. We discussed issues like serving of Mahaprasad during our journey etc,” said Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, a senior Daitapati.

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Jagannath Puri servitors take to social networking

TNN | Mar 10, 2015,

BHUBANESWAR: Servitors of Jagannath Temple in Puri are using Facebook and Twitter to attract devotees ahead of Nabakalebara.

"Finally I am on Facebook as I think this is a very good platform to connect with the younger generation and devotees. This year is very important for us because of Nabakalebara. Hope to connect and share my experiences with you all. See you in Puri soon," read the post of Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, a senior servitor.

Many other priests of the 12th century shrine are going all out to woo pilgrims from across the country and abroad for the mega festival scheduled in July. Nabakalebara was last observed in 1996.

Mohapatra said he takes the help of his son to regularly update his FB profile. "I am not a tech-savvy person but have a penchant for modern communication. I am learning it from my son," said Mohapatra, who is in-charge of Jagannath's chariot during Rath Yatra. "It is a good way to popularize Jagannath culture," he said.

Another servitor Shyamasundar Mohapatra said he is in constant touch with devotees on the social networking site. "People from West Bengal, whom I escorted to the temple in the past, have been asking me about Nabakalebara and the schedule," Mohapatra said.

"Those devotees, who expressed their inability to attend the Nabakalebara due to some compelling situations, have requested us to upload images and video clippings of the festival on the social networking sites," he added.

Devotees of ISKCON (international society for Krishna consciousness) in Puri are also relying on the social networking site to attract foreign devotees during Nabakalebara.

"I have been receiving tremendous response from devotees abroad. Many of them have already begun making preparations to visit Puri," said Janardan Das, a Puri-based devotee. "I posted nice templates and pictures of Jagannath and Rath Yatra and invited devotees across the globe to participate in the event," said Das.

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New chief administrator for Shri Jagannath Temple

By PTI | 5 Mar, 2015

BHUVANESHWAR: Ahead of Lord Jagannath's famous Nabakalebar Festival, the Odisha government today appointed senior bureaucrat Suresh Chandra Mohapatra as the chief administrator ofShree Jagannath Temple Administration(SJTA).

Mohapatra, who is presently principal secretary, Energy, has replaced revenue divisional commissioner (RDC), central, Bikash Chandra Mohapatra. The RDC was holding the additional charge as the chief administrator of the SJTA.

Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, who has been the chief administrator of the SJTA in the past, was chosen for the post because of his good rapport with the priests of the 12th century shrine. The Daitapati priests, who play a crucial role in the Nabakalebara rituals, are having good relationship with Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, sources said.

This apart, Mohapatra was also the collector of Puri.

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Renewal at Jagannath Puri

March 7, 2015 

In July, five million devotees will descend on Puri, one of the four places of worship that a Hindu must visit in his lifetime. The occasion is the Nabakalebar festival when Jagannath, revered by millions as the lord of the world, takes a new form, exemplifying the principle of reincarnation, the cycle of birth and death. The festival promises to transform Puri, a town in coastal Odisha of less than half-a-million people, according to the 2011 census. Its infrastructure is getting a serious facelift, and its economy - hotels, restaurants, shops, rickshaw pullers and even priests - hope to do brisk business in the rush.


Above all, the festival is about Puri's resident deity, Jagannath. Nabakalebar, which literally means a new body, involves the replacement of the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan at the famous Jagannath temple with new ones. It happens when there are two months of Ashadha in the Hindu calendar, like this year. This happens once in every 12-19 years - the last Nabakalebar was held in 1996. The new set of deities is made from a special variety of neem (margosa) wood, which is locally known as Daru Brahma. In the ceremony, not only are the idols replaced but "supreme power" too is transferred from the old to the new through secret rituals.

The exercise begins after a mid-day offering to Jagannath. A 12-foot garland called Dhanva Mala is especially prepared for the Lord and his siblings. Post worship, the garland is handed over to the Pati Mahapatra family which leads the procession to Kakatpur, 50 km away where the Maa Mangala temple is located. (En route, the procession halts at the palace of the former king of Puri.) The eldest Daitapati (servitor) sleeps inside the temple, and in his dream, the Goddess is supposed to inform him about the exact location of the neem trees.These are no ordinary neem trees. 

Since Jagannath is dark, the tree from which his idol is to be carved also has to be dark. However, as Jagannath's siblings are fair, the wood for their idols should be light in colour. The Jagannath tree should have four principal branches, symbolising the four arms of Narayana. There must be a water body near the tree as well as a cremation ground and an anthill. At the root of the tree there has to be a snake pit. No bird must have made nests in the tree; and no branch should be broken or cut. The tree has to be located near a three-way fork on the road or should be surrounded by three mountains. No creepers must have grown on the tree and there have to be Varuna, Sahada and Bilva trees (these trees are not very common) close by. Finally, there has to be a Shiva temple in the vicinity.

Once the trees are identified, at an auspicious moment, accompanied by sacred chants, they are felled. The logs are then brought to the Jagannath temple in chariots by the Daitapatis for carving. The transformation ceremony takes place three days before the celebrated Rath Yatra, when the 'Brahman' or the life force (also referred to as pinda) is transferred from the old deities to the new. The transformation is guided by a set of rules: the designated Daitapatis are blindfolded, a piece of cloth binds their hands before the transfer begins and they are not allowed to shave after the first day of the search procession.

At midnight, the old idols of the deities are carried by the Daitapatis on their shoulders and buried before dawn, a ritual that nobody can witness, or else he is destined to die. For this reason, the state government carries out a full power blackout on this night in the entire town of Puri. The following morning, the new deities are seated on the altar titled 'Ratna Singhashana'. The date for this event is July 16. Two days later, it will culminate in the great chariot ride of the deities. Thereafter, it will be business as usual for the temple after a gap of 58 days.

For some rationalists, all this might look obscurantist. But for people in Puri, their faith in Jagannath is supreme - so supreme that the state is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the whole festival happens without a glitch. The gathering of this scale needs elaborate bandobast: passenger amenities, uninterrupted electricity and proper sanitation. The budget for these public works is close to Rs 2,000 crore.

A big chunk of this investment is going into the revamp of Puri's power system. "A special power grid is being installed at Samagara village, close to the town along the Puri-Konark Marine Drive. An underground power cable network is being laid to ensure that it will be resistant to natural disasters like cyclones," says energy secretary and special administrator, Jagannath Temple (Puri), Suresh C Mohapatra.

Apart from that, the 67.25 km road from Bhubaneswar to Puri is being expanded, a new bus terminal at Malatipatapur is being constructed, 20 parking places for two- and four-wheelers are being earmarked, and seven overhead water tanks are being built.

Keeping in view the Nabakalebar festival, East Coast Railway has proposed the construction of a new shed at Puri. Construction of two additional platforms is under way at Bhubaneswar. East Coast Railway has also proposed a modern station at Bhubaneswar with increased area for passenger amenities at a cost of Rs 80 crore. The Odisha government has agreed to provide Rs 40 crore for this project. Other ongoing works include augmenting line capacity on the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Khurda-Puri rail line and a third line on the Khurda-Bhubaneswar-Barang route.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has deployed an army of senior bureaucrats to oversee the progress. He has asked the Puri district administration to gear up for the event and come out with standard operating procedures in case of incidents like stampedes, fires and diseases that may arise because of the massive congregation. Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak says the state government has planned at least 500 additional beds in different hospitals in and around Puri, 100 first aid centres and 120 ambulances. In addition, over 900 paramedic staff will be deployed to provide health services to the devotees. It is going to be a test of Patnaik's administrative skills.

Such a large event can be a security nightmare. To cope with it, the authorities have decided to provide a five-layer security cover for Puri. Close-circuit televisions will be installed at strategic locations in the town like Grand Road (the venue of the Rath Yatra), the bus terminal, railway station, pilgrim shelters and parking lots. A central security unit will be deployed for the festival. This unit will be equipped with bullet-proof four-wheelers and satellite phones, besides sophisticated arms and ammunitions. For effective crowd management, 30 large digital screens will be installed at various points in the city and a traffic control unit will operate from a special facility at the Kumbharpara police station complex.

Puri is a coastal town, which exposes it to sea-borne terror attacks, the kind Mumbai witnessed in November 2008. Thus, before the festival commences, the four marine police stations at Astaranga, Ramchandi, Chakratirth and Arakhkuda will be made fully operational with all state-of-art gadgets and adequate staff. Two interceptor boats will patrol the Puri coastline. For security concerns, the state government is also contemplating requesting the Union ministry of civil aviation to declare the air space over Jagannath Temple a 'no-fly zone'. "Security inside the temple premises is being tightened using ultra-modern systems," says Odisha Director General of Police Sanjiv Marik. Baggage scanners will be installed at entry points to the Jagannath Temple.Will this be good enough? Talking on the preparedness for Nabakalebar, Jagannath Swain Das Mahapatra, servitor at Jagannath Temple, says, "The last edition of Nabakalebar in 1996 was a huge success without any untoward incident and we are aiming for a similar arrangement this time." While 2 milllion people visited Puri then, this time the visitors are expected to more than double to 5 million. According to Odisha Law Minister Arun Sahu, efforts are on a war footing and all works, including construction of roads, parking places, sewerage, water supply and temporary kiosks for doctors, would be completed by June, a month before the festival kicks off.

An event of such scale is bound to generate some political heat. Many in Odisha complain that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made no allocation for the Nabakalebar festival in the Budget for 2015-16. Odisha had submitted a proposal to the erstwhile Planning Commission, demanding special central assistance of Rs 740 crore for development works since the Commission had provided support of Rs 800 crore for organisation of the Kumbh Mela at Varanasi in 2013. The state has been left to its own devices.

Within Odisha, the Opposition has debunked the government's claims on security arrangements and infrastructure works. "This government is not serious about the preparedness for Nabakalebar. Going by the pace of work, it seems the government will not be able to complete different projects before the ceremony," state Congress President Prasad Harichandan said recently at a press meet.

Local business is, of course, thrilled at the prospects. Asked about the earnings that could accrue during the festival, Ashok Panda, Odisha's minister for tourism and culture, says that, on an average, a domestic tourist spends Rs 1,357 per day and an overseas tourist Rs 2,255 during their stay in the state. With 5 million people expected to congregate for the festival, the tourism earnings can run into hundreds of crores.

"The non-resident Indians from the state based in USA, Britain, Australia can be tapped for business in the Nabakalebar festival. It is an opportunity to establish contact with these communities. There has been a surge in enquiries," says Benjamine Simon, managing director, Travel Link, and chairman (Odisha chapter), Indian Association of Tour Operators. "Within the country, Odisha has links with Bengaluru, Gujarat and Hyderabad. Other places like Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai can also be targeted. Puri being one of the char dhaams (the four places of pilgrimage), pilgrims from the otherdhaams (Badrinath in the north, Dwarka in the west and Rameswaram in the south) are likely to rush to the temple town during the holy event."

Almost 75 per cent of the visitors will be from within the state. Guides, shopkeepers, restaurants, artisans, rickshaw pullers, auto rickshaws are also set to get lucrative business during Nabakalebar, according to Simon. "We are expecting 100 per cent occupancy in the hotels, dharmashalas, ashrams and holiday homes. It is an opportunity to bag businesses," says R K Das Mohapatra, president of Hotel Association of Puri. The temple town has about 480 hotels, 200 lodgings, 12dharamshalas, 80 ashrams and more than 100 holiday homes.

They all have to thank Lord Jagannath for the windfall that awaits them.

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Role of mutts during Odisha’s Nabakalebara festival

Odisha Sun Times Bureau Puri, Mar 5:

The holy town of Puri in Odisha’s coastal district is also widely known for its omnipresent Hindu mutts. These mutts play a crucial role in the daily rituals as well as during Nabakalebara festival of the presiding deities at the 12th century world famous shrine.

Kanchi Kamakoti Sankaracharya Math, Puri

Among them, there are five leading mutts–Puri’s Jagannath Ballav mutt, Bada Oriya mutt, Radhakanta mutt, Raghabadas mutt and Bada Deuli mutt near Kakatpur—which are closely associated with the rituals of the new embodiment of the deities.

Kakatpur’s Bada Deuli mutt, popularly known as Deuli mutt, near the famous Mangala temple finds prominence during Nabakalebara festival as the servitors’ stopover at the mutt for swapnadesh (divine instructions) from the deity, after spending the first night at Jagannath Ballav mutt in Puri. The district administration’s focus shifts on the mutt, which otherwise is cash-strapped, during that time of the festival.

Notably, Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has sanctioned Rs 1.78 crore for renovation of Deuli mutt which was scheduled to be over by February end.

Over 100 priests comprising some Daitapatis, Pati Mahapatra Sevak, brahmin priests, Viswakarmas (carpenters), Acharya Brahmins, Lenka servitors, Kahalia, Deula Karana, Tadhau Karana and temple police would spend around 12 days in the mutt before venturing out in search of the daru which marks the beginning of Banajog Yatra.

The Banajog Yatra team splits into groups and move out in different directions looking for the darus after being blessed by Maa Mangala, the presiding goddess of Kakatpur.

The Jagannath Ballav mutt is known as the pleasure garden of Lord Jagannath. The mutt plays a significant part in Benta Niti, Ram Janma, Krushna Janma, Bamana Janma and other rituals of the Lords. Benta Niti is one ritual of Lord Jagannath, performed on Basant Panchami where Sri Dola Govinda goes to Jaganath Ballav mutt for hunting. There is a pond inside the mutt called Benta Pokhari or hunting pond. On the banks of the pond, green coconuts are placed symbolizing the hunting prey– deers.

The “Bije pratimas” (the representative images) of the Lords visit this mutt on different festive occasions. This mutt supplies flower-ornaments like ’tilak’ and ‘jhumpa’ for Baddasinghara besha and supplies ‘Kora’ (a sweet food) for ‘Kaliya dalana’ and ‘Pralambasura badha’ beshas. Besides, the mutt situated on the Grand Road also supplies ‘dayana’ for ‘dayana chori’ ritual.

The Banajog Yatra team will embark on its journey on the tenth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra, which falls on March 29 this year.

After spending the first night at Jagannath Ballav mutt, the Banajog Yatra team will leave for Deuli mutt.

Special arrangements have been made at the Jagannath Ballav mutt for the daru search team. Around Rs 10 lakh has been spent on drinking water, sanitation and overall renovation of the mutt.

‘‘Renovation work is in full swing. We have made special arrangements for the servitors who will spend a night here before leaving for Deuli mutt,’ ’Jagannath Ballav mutt managing trust secretary Bhakta Das said.

On their return journey, the Banajog Yatra team, with the chariots laden with the daru, will go for one-day break journey and take rest at either Nrusingha Temple or Alamchandi Temple. On the following day, the Daitapati servitors would enter the Lord Jagannath temple from the Uttaradwara (North gate or Elephant gate) and reach theKoili Baikuntha. Koili means “burial ground” and Baikuntha means “Heaven”. It is the place where the old deities will be buried and the new ones made.

The Radhakanta mutt has been entrusted with the duty of reception of the Daitapati servitors when they will return from the Banajoga Yatra.

Similarly, the Raghabdas mutt, situated near the southern gate of the Jagannath temple, has been given the responsibility to provide ‘Panti Bhog’ during Anabasara period. At the time of Anbasara period, the ailing deities Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarsan are confined to a place called Anabasara Ghara.

It may be mentioned that the Raghabdas mutt supplies ‘tahia’ on Snana purnima, Rath yatra, Bahuda or return car festival and Niladribije. It supplies a portion of the Hati besha and ‘tuli’ for pahandi and a certain quantity of sandalwood for ‘Sarbanga’neeti on ‘Khalilagi ekadasi. It also supplies garlands for ‘Nabanka bedha’ and offers ‘adhara pana bhog’ and ‘panti bhog’ on certain festive days.

The mutt will bear the expenses incurred on the rituals which are being delegated to it.

The Oriya mutt will supply oil for Phuluri neeti and ‘trimundi chandua’. Besides, it supplies silk clothes for ‘Chaka apasara’ and repairs ‘Kanakamundi’.

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Lateral God’s ‘DAARU’ identified for Nabakalebara

Bhubaneswar/Balipatna: Daaru (Neem Wood For Rath Yatra) for the Lateral God of ‘Rath’ has been identified by the Puri Jagannath temple administration in Sathilo village of Balipatana.

Report says, the 30 year old Neem tree was owned by Bhagaban Sahoo of Sathilo village. The administrative team of Puri temple identifies that tree by some symptoms necessary according to the ethology of Rath Yatra. After the proper identification process, the chief Amin of Rath Laxman Mohapatra worshipping the tree and the other member of the team finishing the moving process of the wood to Puri. According to the team, the main piece of the tree to use in car festival and another parts were Shelve in that place.

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Jagannath Puri temple to be made no-flying zone

Odisha Sun Times Bureau Puri, Feb 28:

The Odisha government has decided to declare the area in and around the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri as a no flying zone during the Nabakalebara Yatra.

A high level review meeting on traffic and crowd control during Nabakalebara Yatra held here Wednesday decided to put the restriction in effect in the area in and around Shree Mandir after the search for daru (neem trees for making of idols) is completed.

The meeting worked out on different strategies and actions to be adopted for crowd control both inside and outside Shree Mandir during the mega Nabakalebara Yatra wherein a crowd of 50 lakh is expected. Also steps will be taken for a foolproof traffic control system. In order to keep the crowd under control around the chariots and the Shree Mandir, 30 wide screen televisions will be installed at important locations where people can watch Rath Yatra, Bahuda Yatra, Sunabesh and other rituals directly from the Rath Khala-the place where the chariots are parked in front of the Shree Mandir.

Special arrangements will be made for darshan inside the temple premises. Steps will be taken for dhadi (queue) darshan and conduct of different rituals through different entrances of the temple and for entry of devotees in phases. Baggage scanners will be installed in the entrances of the temple. A total 300 CCTV cameras will be installed at bus stands, railway station and different points in the town to keep vigil as well as keep an eye on crowd movement. Vehicles will not be allowed into Puri town as crowds begin to grow for the Nabakalebara Yatra. Entry and exit charts will be prepared for allowing vehicles coming from Bhubaneswar into parking places. Bypasses at Biraharkrushnapur, Maltipatapur and Gopalpur will be used for effective traffic control during the Nabakalebara Yatra.

Identification of unsafe buildings in the pilgrim town has been completed and these building will be sealed during the festival to avoid any mishaps like building collapse etc. Places have been identified for parking and rest sheds. Till date the ground in front of BNR, Jatrika, premises of Hotel Nilachal Ashok, Samagra, ground near Indoor stadium, ground alongside Puri ITI and ground owned by the Tourism department at Baliguali have been identified for parking places. Apart from these additional land required for parking will be estimated and indentified.

In view of large crowds expected both at the bus stand and railway station at Malatipatapur which are located at either side and the national highway passing through them a foot over-bridge will be constructed to connect the two.

A cloak room will be constructed near the Shree Mandir for tourists and devotees to keep their valuables and baggage. Road around the four sides of the Shree Mandir will be widened by another 30 feet.

In the meeting it was discussed that VVIP guests coming from both inside and outside the state will be kept in Bhubaneswar, arrangements will be made for their safe transport to Puri during the Nabakalebara Yatra amid tight security.

The meeting, chaired by additional chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, was attended by secretary Home, DGP, director Intelligence and Research, IG (Central), special secretary Power, chief administrator Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, collector Puri, officials of the NHAI and senior officials of other concerned departments.

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Jagannath temple cooks threaten to boycott work

Monday, March 02, 2015

Puri: Jagannath temple cooks threaten 2boycott work protesting arrest of a servitor. On the other hand Puri temple administration to convene Chhatisa Nijog meet today to resolve issues pertaining to Mahaprasad preparation.

The Suar and Mahasuar Nijog of the Shree Jagannath Temple on Sunday warned not to cook Mahaprasad from Monday while expressing strong resentment over the arrest of one of their colleagues, Padmanav Pratihari, on the charge of selling Maharpasad in the Bhitarbedha (inner perimeter of the temple) on Friday. Pratihari’s arrest and restriction on Mahaprasad sale in Bhitarbedha has triggered widespread angers among the Suars (Shree Mandir cooks). It was reflected on Saturday as Suars didn’t allow performing of Rosha Homa as a result of which Mahaprasad preparation was delayed for eight hours till Pratihari was released on bail.

Suar and Mahasuar Nijog president Bhagban Suar handed over a letter to the Chief Administrator of the Temple on Saturday night informing the Nijog’s decision not to cook Mahaprasad from Monday. The cooks’ body has been protesting the restriction imposed by the temple administration on sale of Mahaprasad in the Bhitarbedha beyond the Anand Bazaar, the designated Mahaprasad market in the temple premises, for long. Notably, the administration imposed the restriction following a High Court order. 

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Gajapati Maharaj meets PM Narendra Modi; Invites him to Puri

Sunday, March 01, 2015

New Delhi: Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Sri Divya Singh Dev called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday. 

Gajapati Maharaja invited Prime Minister to grace the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Swami Chidananda Saraswati Maharaj to be held in Odisha's temple town of Puri. Slated to be inaugurated on September 25, 2015, the celebrations will be a four-day event. 

The Maharaja requested the Prime Minister to accept the invitation to grace the inaugural function of the birth centenary celebrations of former President of Divya Jiban Sangha, Rishikesh along with his Holiness Sankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth Puri Swami Nischalananda Saraswati. The Puri king also discussed the ensuing Nabakalabara celebrations of Lord Jagannath and the grand preparation of the divine event.

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Servitors’ Stir at Jagannath Puri Keeps Lords Hungry

By Express News Service

01st March 2015

PURI: Lord Jagannath and his siblings had to remain hungry for six hours on Saturday following a cease-work by ‘Suar’ and ‘Mahasuar’ clan of servitors (temple cooks).

They resorted to the agitation in protest against arrest of a servitor, Padmanava Pratihari, who was found selling ‘Mahaprasad’ outside the temple on Friday in violation of a directive by the temple administration that ‘Mahaprasad’ can only be sold at the Ananda Bazaar on the temple premises. Members of temple administration found Pratihari selling the ‘Mahaprasad’ and informed the Lion’s Gate police who arrested and forwarded him to court. The court rejected his bail plea and remanded him in judicial custody.

After ‘Sahana Mela’ (public darshan) on Saturday morning, the temple cooks did not allow ‘Rosha Homa’ (a ritual that is carried out before cooking) to be performed. As a result, ‘Ballav’ (breakfast) for the deities could not be prepared. Other rituals including preparation of lunch for the deities could not be performed. 

After Pratihari was released on bail, the servitors allowed ‘Rosha Homa’ at 3.45 pm. The breakfast and lunch were offered to the deities at 6.20 pm.

Temple Public Relations Officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda said the temple administration will soon discuss the issue with the Suar Mahasuar Nijog.

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Jagannath Batika project launched in Odisha capital

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 23:

Amid growing concern expressed about the paucity of quality timber for construction of the three massive chariots for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri, a project taken up to ensure more plantations all over Odisha was flagged off by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingha Deb on Sunday.

The project, christened ‘Jagannath Batika’, has been jointly launched by the SOA University and the socio-cultural organization ‘Prerana’.

“It’s time that we understand that our survival depends on the survival of the trees. It’s a scientific fact. We know about this but are more worried about other things including our livelihood,” the Gajapati Maharaja said while inaugurating the project at the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), the faculty of engineering of SOA University in the presence of School and Mass Education minister Debi Prasad Mishra, DGP Sanjeev Marik, Swami Chidananda Saraswati, Mahanayak of Chhatisha Nijog of the Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri Janardan Pattajoshi Mohapatra, CMD of Nalco Anshuman Das, vice-chancellor of the Tirupati Sanskrit University, Prof Harekrushna Satpathy and vice-chancellor of SOA University Prof Amit Banerjeet.

The program was attended by hundreds of delegates from all over the state representing educational institutions and organizations.

The Gajapati Maharaja also referred to the Jagannath Bana Prakalpa, launched by the government a few years ago to ensure unhindered flow of timber required for the use of the Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri.

“The project began well, but we have no idea what happened thereafter,” he remarked.

Recalling his childhood days when Odisha was full of forest and teeming with wildlife, he said institutes, organisations and people should support the new program and plant trees wherever they had land available for use. “The corporate sector should also extend its support to this,” he said while congratulating SOA University and ‘Prerana’ for launching the project.

President of Prerana, Dilip Srichandan said under the new project, saplings of various trees including neem, phasi and asan would be provided to the people and institutions over a period of time to help greening of the state.

The Gajapati Maharaja said the Puri temple used to get its requirement of timber from the forests of Daspalla and Ranpur, but it was imperative to maintain the quality of the wood as it was not available now.

The School and Mass Education minister lauded the initiative saying it was time that humankind took care of nature for its own survival.

Those present on the occasion included eminent sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra, famous playback singer Prafulla Kar, cine actors Sabysachi Mishra and Archita Sahu, managing member of SOA University Gopabandhu Kar and CEO of Prameya Group Sunil Das.

ITER director Dr Manas Kumar Mallick felicitated the dignitaries on the occasion.

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