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Fairs & Festivals of Orissa |
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Debasnana
Purnima
Debasnana Purnima or Snana Yatra is
exclusively a festival of Lord Jagannath and
is said to be one of the oldest. According to
Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed
the wooden deities he arranged this bathing
ceremony. This day is considered to be the
birth-day of Lord Jagannath. Held in the
full-moon day of the month of Jyestha this
festival is also simultaneously held in all
other imprortant shrines of Orissa. However,
the festival being most elaborate and
important at Puri, it attracts thousands of
visitors and piligrims from all over the
country.
'Niladri Mohadaya', a religious text written
in Orissa records the rituals of the festival.
Sriharsa in his 'naisadhiya Charita' (XV. 89)
also refers to this festival of Purusottama.
This bathing ceremony has a speciality. As
this festival does not find mention in the
early religious texts, it is believed to be a
tribal ceremony which later crept into the
Hindu rites. Jagannath in its early form was
being worshipped as Nilamadhaba by a Savara
chief called Viswabasu. Till now it is the
Daitas and Savaras (tribals) who have the
exclusive right to conduct the festival. The
tribals called Saoras (of southern Orissa)
still perform a rite to bath their deities
ceremonially on the last day of the month of
Jyestha. For this they collect water from
remote jungles where it remains untouched even
by the shadow of the animals. Most probably
when Jagannath was a Savara God, this festival
of the Savaras who tended Him was accepted by
the Hindus.
On the previous day of Snana Yatra the images
of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra along
with the image of Sudarshana are ceremonially
brought out from the sanctum in a procession
to the Snana-vedi (Bathing pandal). This
special pandal in the temple precinct of Puri
is celled Snana Mandap. It is at such a height
that visitors standing outside the temple also
get a glimpse of the deities. After Mangala
Alati, the Suaras and Mahasuaras go in a
ceremonial peocession to fetch water from Suna
Kua (Golden well) in one hundred and thirty,
vessels of copper. All of them cover their
mouths with a piece of cloth. Then all the
vessels filled with water are preserved in the
Bhoga Mandapa. The Palla pandas (a class of
Brahms priests) then purify the water with
Haridra, Jaba, Benachera, Chandan, Aguru,
flowers, perfumes and medicinal herbs.
On the fourteenth day (Chaturdashi) when the
idols are taken out in procession, the whole
process is called Pahandi or Pahandi vijay.
Scholars have given different interpretations
of the term ('Pahandi'). Some opine that it
has been derived from the term 'Praspanda'
meaning movement. Some others are inclined to
interpret it as a derivation from Pandya
vijaya. For the festival the Snana Vedi is
well decorated with traditional paintings of
trees and gardens. Flags and toranas (arches)
are also put up. The images are profusely
decorated with flowers. All kinds of perfumes
such as Dhupa, Aguru etc. are then offered. As
the 'Pahandi' of the deities takes place to
the accompaniment of music and beating of
various indigenous drums. Thousands of
devotees jostle and crave for a look at the
deities in procession.
The bathing festival takes place during the
morning hours of the Purnima. The filled
vessels are carried from Bhoga Mandap to the
Snana Vedi by the Suaras in a long single-line
procession. This ritual is called 'Jaladhibasa'.
Prior to the bathing ceremony the images are
covered with silken clothes and then smeared
with red powder. Then water is poured, the
rituals performed and 'Pavamana' hymns
chanted. After the bath the deities are so
dressed that together they appear like the
image of Ganesha. This is called Ganeshabesa.
It is said that a staunch devotee of Lord
Ganesha and himself a profound scholar visited
Puri during Snana Yatra, he was amply rewarded
by the king of Orissa for his scholarship. The
king asked the scholar to accompany him to see
Lord Jagannath which he refused under the
pretext that he wouldn't worship any God other
than Ganesha. Somehow he was persuaded and
brought before the Snana vedi. To the utter
surprise of all, Lord Jagannath appeared as
Ganesha. Since then during Snana Yatra when
the sacred bath is performed, the deities are
dressed like Ganesha. Various other legends
are also told and reasons assigned explaining
the Ganesha besa.
During the sacred bath the colours painted on
the images generally fade. Seeing the wooden
deities in discolour devotees may not have the
appropriate devotional attitude and in fact
may feel sinful repugnance. For this reason
the images are immediately dressed as Ganesha
in which they remain mostly covered.
After the Snana Yatra, the images are kept
away from public view for fifteen days and
during all these days the daily rites of the
temple remain suspended. The images are kept
on the Ratna vedi inside the temple. This
period is called 'Anabasara' meaning improper
time for worship. It has been said earlier
that the images are discoloured as a result of
the sacred bath. During these fifteen days the
Daitas (descendants of Viswavasu, the Savara)
repaint the images and make decorations. The
period of colouring and decorating the images
is divided into seven short periods, each of
two days duration, and a short period of one
day set apart to give finishing touches. Thus
the period covers the whole fortnight. On the
16th day the images in their new forms after
renovation become ready for the public view.
The festival of the first appearance of the
Lord Jagannath to his devotees is called
Netrotsaba or Nava Yaubana (new youth).
According to popular belief the devotee washes
away all his sins if he gets a vision of the
Lord on this day. On this occasion, therefore,
great rush of people occurs in the temple.
The Shilpa Sastras and Agamas testify that the
images become suitable for worship only after
the performance of the rite of 'Chakshyu
Unmilana' (Opening of the eyes). During 'Anabasara',
the Daitas offer to the deities only fruits
and water mixed with cheese. According to them
during this time the deities don't keep well
and therefore, take rest. Like human beings
they are considered to have fallen ill and are
treated by the Raj Vaidya or the king's
physician with specific medicines.
The temple-festivals wich are held in a bigger
and elaborate scale in the important shrines
of Puri and Bhubaneswar are also held
simultaneously in all other small shrines of
the respective deities, though in modest
scales. Likewise the Snana Yatra is held in
many other temples of Orissa.
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Religious Festivals
Major Religious Festivals:
Mahashiva Ratri, Durga Puja,
Ganesha
Chaturthi, Lakshmi
Puja, Deepavali,
Dusserah,
Dola
Purnima (Holi),
Akshyaya Trutiya,
Gahma
Purnima,
Makara
Sankranti, Ashokashtami,
Nuakhai,
Basanta
Panchami, Hingula
Yatra, Prathamastami,
Baseli Puja,
Janmastami,
Raja
Sankranti,
Chaitra
Parba, Kartika Purnima,
Rama Navami,
Khudurukuni
Osa, Savitri Brata,
Dhanu Yatra,
Kumar
Purnima, Shamba
Dasami, Sital Shashti,
Magha
Saptami,
Visuva
Samkranti,
Viswakarma
Puja.
Jagannath Temple Festivals
Major
Jagannath Temple Festivals:
Rath Yatra,
Chandan
Yatra,
Devasnana Purnima,
Basanta
Panchami,
Chitou
Amavasya, Nava
Kalebara.
Special festivals
Major Special Festivals:
Puri
Beach Festival,
Konark
Festival,
Kalinga
Mahotsav,
Raja Rani
Music Festival,
Shreekstra
Utsav, Ekamra Utsav,
Dhauli Mahatsova,
Folk Dance Festival,
Khandagiri Festival,
Konark Dance & Music
Festival,
Parab
Festival
Tribal Festivals
Major Tribal Festivals:
Chaita Parva,
Karama
Festival, Bali Jatra,
Sume-Gelirak,
Bija Pandu,
Kedu Festival,
Maghe Parab
Fairs & Exhibitions
Major Fairs & Exibitions:
Bali
Yatra, Magha Mela,
Taratarini
Mela, Joranda Mela,
Makar Mela
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