ISSN 0970-8669 Review

aripada, the headquarters of Mayurbhanj Abdhi (4) and Subhransu (1) or 1497 Bdistrict bears the testimony of many corresponding to I575 A.D. magnificent monument of immense religious significance under the patronage of the illustrious Legend has it that Maharaja Baidyanath Bhanja rulers. Apart from , Lord , Bhanja had gone to Puri to have a darshan of worshipped as Shri Haribaldev Mahaprabhu at Lord Jagannath but was denied entry into Puri, Baripada is the second biggest one in Odisha and for he failed to offer the demanded gold coins for is acclaimed as the Second Shreekshetra of the purpose. Another version to the legend goes Odisha. like this .When Maharaja Baidyanath Bhanj went to Puri in royal splendour with the accompaniment The temple of Lord Jagannath at Baripada, of chhatro and chamara, the Gajapati made of laterite stone with exquisite designs Maharaja of Puri refused permission as it was engraved in the walls, has height of 84'-6". A brick display of higher status over the Thakur of boundary wall encircles the temple which is a Puri. The prevailing custom then was that the of Baripada - Unique in Many Ways

Balabhadra Ghadai

replica of that of Lord Jagannath temple at Puri. devotees to Puri would come as common men A small inscription in two lines is found fixed to without showing of any supremacy over the the upper portion of the right hand boundary wall Gajapati who is chalanti designate. of the temple indicates the date of construction of The Maharaja went in penance near the Atharanala Bridge , the gateway to Shrikshetra. this magnificent edifice by Maharaja Baidyanath Lord Balabhadra appeared in a dream of the Bhanja, a devout disciple of the Vaishnava saint Maharaja Baidyanath Bhanja and as per His swami Rasikananda. The inscription reads: instructions, the Maharaja constructed a temple “Sakabede munirandahrabdhisubhransu pramite suve in Baripada so that He would come down to Bhanjayan Baidyanathena prasadastu kruto muda” assuage his devotees. Showing reverence to the wishes of the Lord, he erected the majestic temple From the foregoing description it is known as Shri Shri Haribaladev Jew temple at ascertained that the shrine of Lord Jagannath was Baripada . Like the temple of Lord Jagannath at erected in the Saka Year Muni (7) Randhra (9) Puri,it stands as a symbol of the religious fervour

144 JUNE - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 of the Bhanja rulers of Mayurbhanj and the rituals chariot of Lord Balabhadra) moves first and and religious services are held here in the manner reaches the Mausibadi temple. The 12-wheeled of those at Puri temple. Devidalana or Vijaya (chariot of ) is pulled only by women. Normally this chariot The main temple and its Jagamohana and reaches half way and stays near the town Police Natamandira are all located within a massive Station. Next day at 2.00 P.M the pulling of the compound the floor of which is paved with chariot is resumed and Devidalana reaches the dressed stone slabs. The temple and destination. Then starts the Nandighosha, the Jagamohana constructed on a high plinth massive chariot with 16 wheels. represent rekha and pidha style of Odishan architecture respectively. On the outer walls of The same rituals are performed on the the main temple are noticed the figures of Bahuda day and chariot pulling is completed in , Trivikram, and Varaha worshipped two days. As there is no space for the chariots to as parsvadevata.The door entrance to sanctum move, the reverse sequence is followed in the is surrounded with figures of Ganesa, Navagraha, return Journey i.e first starts Nandighosa, then Gajalaksmi, Kubera, Bhairava, ,Yamuna, Devidalana and then Taladhwaja. After Bahuda and Jaina Tirthankaras. Some of them are Yatra when the deities are carried into the temple fixed to the inner walls of the Jagamohana. It is in Pahandi, the Last Door Closing Ceremony is built in the style of Kakharua Baidyanath temple observed in the inner sanctum of the main temple. of Manatri.At present all the monuments including the raised compound walls are covered with lime What puts Baripada on the top of the chart plaster.Besides the Bada Jagannath temple at relating to celebration is perhaps the Baripada, there is also another important association of women with the festival. It was Jagannath temple of diminutive size built by Raja during the celebration of the First International Srinath Bhanja in 1863-1864 A.D. It is Women’s Year in 1975 that the district characteristically known as Bhanthia Jagannath administration of Mayurbhanj started the temple. innovative idea to let women pull the chariot of The famous Ratha Yatra of Lord the little sister of the two Lords-Jagannath and Jagannath takes place in Sukla Dwitiya Balabhadra. In the subsequent years the i.e the second day of the fortnight of Ashadha experiment has proved quite popular .The same (June-July) every year. It is celebrated with gaiety practice is continuing till date and the turn out of and religious fervour in Baripada. Unlike Puri, women is increasing with every passing year. is a three-day affair in Baripada. Though the deities are taken out of the temple for the annual sojourn on the day Puri celebrates the festival, the get moving a day later in Balabhadra Ghadai, Principal, M.K.College, Khiching, Baripada. The 14-wheeled Taladhwaja (the Mayurbhanj.

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