Holy Pilgrimage of Sankardev to Puri

Orissa Review July - 2010

Paban Kumar Kalita

Mahapurush Sankardev, the great Vaishnava saint was a true devotee of Lord Jagannatha and a and multifaceted genius of Assam is also very well lover of Orissa and Assam when Bhakti Cult known among the scholars of Orissa. In Oresa flourished in different parts of the country. During barnana section of his ³Kirtan Ghosha´, his visit to Puri, Sanakardev was cordially received Sankardev has described about the mythological by Pandas of Jagannatha temple. origin of the image of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra in Jagannatha temple, the rituals and Prof. H. K. Satpathy, ex-Vice Chancellor, festivals in the temple and also about the outcome Sri Jagannath Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya, Puri of singing the glory of Lord Jagannatha and taking observes µit is admitted fact that Sankardev had Mahaprasada in details. The Jagannatha culture come to Orissa and particularly to Puri, the sacred has spread great influence on the religion, culture abode of Lord Jagannath and that had made a and literature as well as folklore of Assam. Even tremendous effect on the cultural, spiritual and illiterate women specially in rural area sing songs religious atmosphere of the then state of Orissa composed on Lord Jagannatha. for which a lot of followers and admirers were created.¶ Sankardev who was born in the year 1449 in a village called Bordua had visited Puri The evidence of his remark is found in a twice though Dinanath Bez Baruah in his book poetic biography of Sankardeva written by Kavi µBar Charita¶ has mentioned that Sankardev had Govinda Nayak of Puri in Oriya mixed Vrajaboli visited Puri three times. The Detailed account of language. Poet Govinda Nayak was one of the his pilgrimage has been recorded in the ³Guru Court scholars of Gajapati King Divya Singha Charita Katha´, Biographical account of Dev. This biography was written in palm leaves Assamese Vaisnava Saint compiled by his in the 37th reigning year of king, which was disciples. Dr Ram Chandra Mishra, noted Oriya published with Assamese transliteration in the year scholar and writer while mentioning Sankar Dev 2005. The detailed description of Sankardev¶s as one of the great devotees of Lord Jagannath life and his visit to Puri is found in the book. writes µLord Jagannath was his light and inspiration for life. Sankardev not only accepted It was mentioned in this book that Jagannatha as his deity for worship, he also carried Sankardev had cordial relations with Atibadi over the cultural heritage of Orissa to Assam. He Jagannatha Das, Sishu Ananata Das and Achyuta

68 Orissa Review July - 2010 of Pancha Shakha. The Gajapati King Pratap Bada Oriya Matha and Bhagawat Ghar set up Rudra Dev also showed him respect offering by Atibadi Jagannath Das as Sankardev stayed a turban and valuable gifts. Some of the miracles long period at Puri and was involved in releated with Sankardev during his visit are also propagating Vaisnava religion. described in the book. Keeping the memory of Sankardev¶s holy Biographers of Sankardev have written pilgrimage to Puri the Sankardev Sanskriti Samaj that it was Jagannath Mishra of Puri, following Puri has constructed a beautiful Namghar with the order of lord Jagannatha came to Bordoa to fully accommodated guest house at Puri. The hand over a copy of Bhagawata with the Assam Panda family also tries to keep alive the commentary of Sridhara Swami to Sankardev. close relations between the two states. Recently an Assam Jatri Nivas is also constructed near the Eminent Assamese scholar Dr Satyendra west gate of the Jagannatha Temple. Nath Sarma writes µIt is not unlikely that Sankardev might have received spiritual initiation from some Vaishnava Saints at Puri where he spent more than a year¶.

Dr Jyotshna Rout in her Assamese book µOriya Aru Asomiya Sanskriti Aru Paban Kumar Kalita is a press correspondent of the Samannayar Keitiman Dish¶ writes Assam Tribune and lives at Hazarikapara, Sipajhar : µMahapurush Sankardev realised the glory of Darrang (Assam).