NAVAKALEVARA
Next Navakalevara Festival July/August 2015
The Nabakalebara ceremony of the deities takes place in the year when the month of Asadha (June-July) happens to be an intercalary month (Double Asadha or two months of Asadha), which means when one lunar month of Ashadha is followed by another lunar month of Aashadha. The month of double Ashadha is composed of four fortnights, so the Anabasara period of the Navakalevara year actually extends over a period of one month and fifteen days. During this period, the temple remains closed for general public. During the first fortnight, the new deities are engraved on the Nirmana Mandap. The second and third fortnights of the double Ashadha months are known as Mala Masa. In the second fortnight (i.e. the first fortnight of Mala Masa), the Dayitapatis observe the obsequies because of the death of their family Lords as they are the descendants of the Lords. In the third fortnight (i.e. the second fortnight of Mala Masa) the wooden statues are covered with cotton and silken clothes and the Anabasara duties are performed.
Generally double Asadha come once in every 12 years but not strickly so. It may occur also in 8 years or 16 years or 19 years depending on the auspicious day. The Nabakalebar function is essentially unavoidable as an importance of the fact that the Deities of the Jagannath Temple are made of Neem (Margo) wood and wooden images are normally subject to decay in such a span of time, so changes of the Deities during such interval are felt essential. Nabakalebara is a very old ritual of the Grand Temple, but it’s very difficult to guess the exact time since when it has been celebrated. In the 20th century, the Nabakalebara function was celebrated in the Temple in 1912, 1931, 1950, 1969, 1977 and 1996. The idols that are currently being worshipped in the Jagannath Temple were installed in the year 1996. Next Nabakalebar Festival will be celebrated in the month of Ashada(July/August) at Puri in 2015.
COLLECTION OF DARU (WOOD) FOR NEW DEITIES
The bodies of the Deities are made of Neem (Margo) wood. The first step taken in this connection is the search of sacred Daru (wood logs) to create the new Deities. This is known as Banayaga Parba of the Navakalevara ceremony.The procedure relating to searching of Darus begins from Chaitra Sukla Dasami i.e the 10th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra, so this ritual starts 65 days before the Snana Purnima festival (bathing festival) of the deities. Nobody knows from where to find the sacred wood to create the new idols, so as per the tradition a group formed to search the sacred wood. The search team consists of 1 member of the Pati Mahapatra family
1 Lenka
9 Maharanas
20 Dayitapatis
3 Deulakaranas
16 Brahmanas
30 Police officers
2 Inspectors of Police
The holy mission for searching of the woods begins after getting Aagyanmalas (permission) from the four deities. After receiving the permission from the deities, the search party come out of the Temple and continues to the palace of the King of Puri. The King welcomes the party in a ritualistic manner and provides his Aagyanmala (permission) to the group to search of the Darus. The group next proceeds to Jagannath Ballav Math and stay there for one or two days to make their final preparations. After this in an early morning the members start their journey for Kakatpur, a village 50 kilo meters from Puri to the famous temple of Goddess Mangala. In Kakatapur, the team stays in the Deuli Math belonging to Ramanujiya Vaishnavas and maintained by Puri Emar Math. After reaching the Kakatpur village, they are taking bath in river Prachi and go to Mangala temple to pray Goddess Mangala (the presiding deity of Kakatapur) to help them to find the sacred wood. The priests sleep in front of the Goddess with their face down (locally known as Adhia posture) and then Goddess Mangala come in their dream and tells the exact locations of the sacred Neem (Margo) trees for all the deities. This custom has been performed from years during Nabakalebar festival without any deviation. Then the search team goes to the dreamt locations on foot to locate the Neem trees for four deities.
The selection of the Darus is taken up in the following order
The selection of the Darus is taken up in the following order
1.Sri Sudarshan
2.Lord Balabhadra
3.Goddess Subhadra
4.Lord Jagannath
After identification of the Neem Trees, the search team builds temporary huts near the trees and stay there to perform all pre-defined procedures before cutting of the tress. The trees may be collected from the land belong to any person regardless of caste and religion. The search team matches all the prerequisites which are required for the trees to qualify as the sacred tree for the deities. Following are the prerequisites which are matched:
After identification of the Neem Trees, the search team builds temporary huts near the trees and stay there to perform all pre-defined procedures before cutting of the tress. The trees may be collected from the land belong to any person regardless of caste and religion. The search team matches all the prerequisites which are required for the trees to qualify as the sacred tree for the deities. Following are the prerequisites which are matched:
a.They must have a wheel (chakra) sign on them
b.Poisonous snakes like Cobra must be hiding under them or in nearby ant hill
c.A tamarind tree must be in the vicinity
d.A funeral yard in the vicinity of each tree
e.Each tree must have 4 to 7 branches over the main trunk
f.From ground level upto 10/12 feet it should be straight and solid
g.No nest of birds on tree tops
CUTTING OF DARU FOR NEW DEITIES
After matching of all prerequisites, the rituals including homa (fire sacrifice) is performed there to invite all demigods to give their blessings and cutting of the tree can start. First only the golden axe can touch the tree, then silver and after that iron axe can finish the work. 108 names of the Lord are chanted continuously. A small cart with four wheels is made out of smaller branches of every tree and the main trunks of the trees are transported on these carts to Jagannath Temple Puri. The Darus are ritualistically bathed and surrounded with silky clothes before transportation. As popularly believed, it is not permissible to look at uncovered Daru because viewing a Daru in that state is considered as a great sin. The cart loaded with Daru is pulled all the way by the devotees of the villages it passes through. The transportation of the Darus to Jagannath Temple Puri is taken up in the following order
Sri Sudarshan
CUTTING OF DARU FOR NEW DEITIES
After matching of all prerequisites, the rituals including homa (fire sacrifice) is performed there to invite all demigods to give their blessings and cutting of the tree can start. First only the golden axe can touch the tree, then silver and after that iron axe can finish the work. 108 names of the Lord are chanted continuously. A small cart with four wheels is made out of smaller branches of every tree and the main trunks of the trees are transported on these carts to Jagannath Temple Puri. The Darus are ritualistically bathed and surrounded with silky clothes before transportation. As popularly believed, it is not permissible to look at uncovered Daru because viewing a Daru in that state is considered as a great sin. The cart loaded with Daru is pulled all the way by the devotees of the villages it passes through. The transportation of the Darus to Jagannath Temple Puri is taken up in the following order
Sri Sudarshan
Lord Balabhadra
Goddess Subhadra
Lord Jagannath
At the entrance of Puri town there is a temple known as Alam Chandi temple. The carts loaded with the sacred Daru (wooden logs) are brought into Puri via the road in front of Alam Chandi temple. It is believed that Alam Chandi is supreme to sanctify the logs so that no harm is done at the time of shaping them to form the figures of the three deities. As per the tradition, after getting agnyamala (permission) from Goddess Alam Chandi the carts with Sacred wood enters into Puri and pulled all the way to reach the Jagannath Temple. The wood enters the Jagannath temple through its northen gate before the scheduled date of Annual Bathing Ceremony of the Deities (Devasnana Purnima). The woods are kept in the Koili Baikuntha, situated in the northwest corner of the Temple. It is the place where the old deities will be buried and the new ones made. The sacred Daru are kept here in the same carts in which they are fetched to the Temple. On the day of Snana Purnima, the old deities receive the ceremonial bath on Snana Mandap and the Darus also receive the ritual bath along with the old deities on the same day. One the next day of Snana Purnima, according to the pre-defined procedure, they are finally moved to the Nirman Mandap after special Puja offered by Pati Mahapatra.
CARVING OF NEW DEITIES & BURIAL OF OLD DEITIES
From next day of the bathing ceremony the Deities are carved out of the wood by the skilled carpenters called Biswakarma in secrecy, under the strict supervision and guidance of Daitapatis. The three oldest Biswakarmas will be the main sculptors for the deity of Lord Jagannath. The images of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra & Sudarshana are simultaneously carved by other two teams consisting of three carpenters each. More than 50 carpenters work as assistant to the main carvers. The work is done with utmost privacy and not even the head priest of the temple is allowed to visit the place of work. There is a special enclosure inside the temple premises where the carving of the Lord is done. The enclosure is open on the top but is attached with very strong doors. The carpenters are not allowed to eat, drink or smoke inside the enclosure. The carvings are completed in 21 days and during these 21 days the carpenters are not allowed to leave the temple premises. They would sleep in the temple premises in the night and eat Mahaprasad. Devotional songs & shlokas from the Vedas chanted continuously outside the Koili Baikuntha day and night during these 21 days.
Before Asadha Chaturthy night the new Deities are made completely and are carried inside the inner sanctum only by descendants of the Daitapati family of the Jagannath Temple and placed in front of the old deities facing them. This ritual is also done with supreme privacy and nobody is allowed to go inside. On this specific night at midnight hours the Brahma Padartha (The Supreme Matter) is transferred from old deity to new one by hereditary functionary of the temple who is made to be completely blindfolded, his hands and feet too wrapped with thick layers of silk cloths so that the transferee can neither see nor feel anything about it.
There is a curiosity among all to know what this Brahma Padartha is and how does it look like. There are different religious stories on this. The Buddhists say the Brahma Padartha (The Supreme Matter) mysteriously hidden inside the body of Lord Jagannath is told to be the tooth of Lord Buddha. The Vaishnavas say it to be the Live Shalagrama (a pebble with natural symbols) which fell from heaven into the Gomati river of Nepal. Shabaras have an interesting story to tell as destined, Zara Shabara pierced an arrow into the feet causing death of Krishna at Mahendragiri. Arjuna instructed the crying Zara to cremate. But Zara could not burn Krishna's body completely and the navel portion remained unbrunt and the same was kept inside the initial deity worshipped by the tribals as Nilamadhaba. This element is transferred from old deities to new ones in the dead hour of the night by hereditary functionary of the temple who is made to be completely blindfolded, his hands and feet too wrapped with thick layers of silk ribbons so that the transferee can neither see nor feel anything about it. Since now no one has seen the Brahma Padartha till now, the mystery relating to this topic is still unraveled.
A special Bhog is offered to the old deities before transfer of the Brahma Padartha, known as Sarbanga Panti Bhog. This is the last ‘Bhog’ of the old deities. As per tradition the rights of the Great Transformation are permitted only to the Daitapatis as they are considered to be the descendants of the Daitapati who was the first worshipper of the Lord Jagannath. To finish the installation, the Brahma Padartha must be transferred from the old deity and placed in the heart region of the new deity. The secret ritual is performed on Amavasaya (dark moon) in the total darkness of midnight in the temple surrounded by the town of Puri, which is completely devoid of any electric light at this time because the government cuts off the electric supply.
As soon as the Brahma Padartha is taken out of a deity, the corresponding deity is considered to be dead. The deity is then loaded in the same cart in which the corresponding new deity transported and immediately carried to Koili Baikuntha which is considered as the burial ground of the old deities. Koili means "burial ground" and Baikuntha means "Heaven". At Koili Baikuntha a deep pit is kept ready to bury the old Deities. After burial, the Deities join the dust and become part of it. It was never discovered any remaining of the previous burial. During this time not only the old Deities are buried but also all the subsidiary Deities (Parswa Devatas) of the three chariots are also buried here and new subsidiary deities are made for next Car Festival.
At the entrance of Puri town there is a temple known as Alam Chandi temple. The carts loaded with the sacred Daru (wooden logs) are brought into Puri via the road in front of Alam Chandi temple. It is believed that Alam Chandi is supreme to sanctify the logs so that no harm is done at the time of shaping them to form the figures of the three deities. As per the tradition, after getting agnyamala (permission) from Goddess Alam Chandi the carts with Sacred wood enters into Puri and pulled all the way to reach the Jagannath Temple. The wood enters the Jagannath temple through its northen gate before the scheduled date of Annual Bathing Ceremony of the Deities (Devasnana Purnima). The woods are kept in the Koili Baikuntha, situated in the northwest corner of the Temple. It is the place where the old deities will be buried and the new ones made. The sacred Daru are kept here in the same carts in which they are fetched to the Temple. On the day of Snana Purnima, the old deities receive the ceremonial bath on Snana Mandap and the Darus also receive the ritual bath along with the old deities on the same day. One the next day of Snana Purnima, according to the pre-defined procedure, they are finally moved to the Nirman Mandap after special Puja offered by Pati Mahapatra.
CARVING OF NEW DEITIES & BURIAL OF OLD DEITIES
From next day of the bathing ceremony the Deities are carved out of the wood by the skilled carpenters called Biswakarma in secrecy, under the strict supervision and guidance of Daitapatis. The three oldest Biswakarmas will be the main sculptors for the deity of Lord Jagannath. The images of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra & Sudarshana are simultaneously carved by other two teams consisting of three carpenters each. More than 50 carpenters work as assistant to the main carvers. The work is done with utmost privacy and not even the head priest of the temple is allowed to visit the place of work. There is a special enclosure inside the temple premises where the carving of the Lord is done. The enclosure is open on the top but is attached with very strong doors. The carpenters are not allowed to eat, drink or smoke inside the enclosure. The carvings are completed in 21 days and during these 21 days the carpenters are not allowed to leave the temple premises. They would sleep in the temple premises in the night and eat Mahaprasad. Devotional songs & shlokas from the Vedas chanted continuously outside the Koili Baikuntha day and night during these 21 days.
Before Asadha Chaturthy night the new Deities are made completely and are carried inside the inner sanctum only by descendants of the Daitapati family of the Jagannath Temple and placed in front of the old deities facing them. This ritual is also done with supreme privacy and nobody is allowed to go inside. On this specific night at midnight hours the Brahma Padartha (The Supreme Matter) is transferred from old deity to new one by hereditary functionary of the temple who is made to be completely blindfolded, his hands and feet too wrapped with thick layers of silk cloths so that the transferee can neither see nor feel anything about it.
There is a curiosity among all to know what this Brahma Padartha is and how does it look like. There are different religious stories on this. The Buddhists say the Brahma Padartha (The Supreme Matter) mysteriously hidden inside the body of Lord Jagannath is told to be the tooth of Lord Buddha. The Vaishnavas say it to be the Live Shalagrama (a pebble with natural symbols) which fell from heaven into the Gomati river of Nepal. Shabaras have an interesting story to tell as destined, Zara Shabara pierced an arrow into the feet causing death of Krishna at Mahendragiri. Arjuna instructed the crying Zara to cremate. But Zara could not burn Krishna's body completely and the navel portion remained unbrunt and the same was kept inside the initial deity worshipped by the tribals as Nilamadhaba. This element is transferred from old deities to new ones in the dead hour of the night by hereditary functionary of the temple who is made to be completely blindfolded, his hands and feet too wrapped with thick layers of silk ribbons so that the transferee can neither see nor feel anything about it. Since now no one has seen the Brahma Padartha till now, the mystery relating to this topic is still unraveled.
A special Bhog is offered to the old deities before transfer of the Brahma Padartha, known as Sarbanga Panti Bhog. This is the last ‘Bhog’ of the old deities. As per tradition the rights of the Great Transformation are permitted only to the Daitapatis as they are considered to be the descendants of the Daitapati who was the first worshipper of the Lord Jagannath. To finish the installation, the Brahma Padartha must be transferred from the old deity and placed in the heart region of the new deity. The secret ritual is performed on Amavasaya (dark moon) in the total darkness of midnight in the temple surrounded by the town of Puri, which is completely devoid of any electric light at this time because the government cuts off the electric supply.
As soon as the Brahma Padartha is taken out of a deity, the corresponding deity is considered to be dead. The deity is then loaded in the same cart in which the corresponding new deity transported and immediately carried to Koili Baikuntha which is considered as the burial ground of the old deities. Koili means "burial ground" and Baikuntha means "Heaven". At Koili Baikuntha a deep pit is kept ready to bury the old Deities. After burial, the Deities join the dust and become part of it. It was never discovered any remaining of the previous burial. During this time not only the old Deities are buried but also all the subsidiary Deities (Parswa Devatas) of the three chariots are also buried here and new subsidiary deities are made for next Car Festival.
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