Rites, Rituals, Festivals and the Pilgrimage of Baladevjew Cult in Odisha
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Abstract: The Baladev cult of Odisha also known as Balaram and Balabhadra bears a special identity in the annals of religious history of Odisha. Cults are studied here in the context of a particular ritualized tradition, colouring the faiths and beliefs of a particular people. Rites, rituals and festivals play a major role in the life of every person, irrespective of religious affiliations. Therefore, it has a greater role in Baladevjew temples of Odisha. However, this is more prominent in the case of the Hindus. Right from the time of conception and birth, up to a person’s passing away and even after it, rites and rituals follow a Hindu at all times, much like a shadow. Indeed, there is one or the other rite, ritual or custom that comes into play for Hindus three hundred and sixty five days of the year. However, unlike other religions where many customs are mandatory, the Hindu way of life is comparatively flexible, with people in different regions following a variety of customs and traditions in Odisha. The study of practices and rituals associated with the Baladev cult as well as the pilgrimage to Baladevjew, show that if the Jagannath worship was a royal cult that came to express Orissan identity and nationalism, the Baladeva cult can be seen as a sub cult of the Jagannath cult, visible in certain places in northern and western Odisha. Key words: - Rites, Rituals, Ceremonies, Festivals, Identity and Nationalism, Culture & Tradition. hese ancient cities are like living symbols continual addition to the Puranic list. According of history. The concept of tirtha in the to the Brahma Purana, their number is so large TIndian context originates from the time that they cannot be enumerated. A rough statistical when Puranas began to be composed around the estimate prepared by P.V Kane fixes the number fourth century A.D. The increase in numbers of of Puranic verses devoted entirely to the subject Rites, Rituals, Festivals and the Pilgrimage of Baladevjew Cult in Odisha Naresh Rout of tirthas as about 1,200 in Matsya Purana, 3,182 in Varaha Purana, 4000 in Padma Purana and 6,700 in Brahma Purana. Some exclusive studies on the subject based on single Purana, especially Skanda Purana, would further bear testimony to such overgrowth. A statement in Skanda Purana claims as many as half crore tirthas in the country. A place of pilgrimage is a tirtha or tirthasthana. A pilgrimage is a tirthayatra and a pilgrim is a tirthayatri. The meaning of a tirtha the tirthas in some of the Puranas was clearly is a sacred place charged with the power of Gods the result of their unprecedented proliferation and and Goddesses and resonant with purity. The 132 Odisha Review # July - 2015 process of bringing together cult centers of a integral and an important part of worship. It particular tradition through myths and symbols signifies submission of self to the Lord. Puja is creates a sacred geography. In India, this has the act of showing reverence to a god or to aspects happened at various levels i.e. local, regional and of the divine through invocations, prayers, songs, pan-Indian. Cults created their own religious and rituals. The literal meaning ofpuja is worship, topography through links with other regional honour, adoration, respect, homage etc. Through centers by means of myths and legends evolving this puja and the image, a Hindu worshipper around a specific cult. The cult of Jagannath invites the presence of the deity with his or her acquired a pan-Indian status after the Gangas and cosmic energy. Thus, in the eye of devotees, the the Gajapatis made Jagannath their state deity. In icon then becomes the deity, whose presence is fact, pilgrim networks expanded in the Ganga and reaffirmed by the daily rituals of honoring and post-Ganga periods when significant invocation. There is also an opinion that suggests reorganization, elaboration and changes in the that puja representing submission of flowers to temple ritual and festivals, incorporating manifold the deity with devotion and reverence is mainly a Vedic and Agamic practices, took place. practice derived from Southern India. According to them, the termpuja is derived from pu meaning The Baladev cult, given its spatial flower in southern languages. Flowers constitute dispersion as I have studied later, as an expression an important article of worship. The image in the of sub regional nationalism within Odisha ? sanctum is decorated with garlands flowers and Travellers from within the land and abroad, visit a with unstrung flowers. The flowers are offered to tirtha (pilgrimage) to discover the soul of India. the deity at several stages in worship. Flowers Tirthas are seldom anonymous places. They all gladden the heart and mind; and confer prosperity. have their unique character and ambience. Places Flowers offered with devotion gratify the Lord. of pilgrimage are distributed throughout India and The devotees who visit the temple also offer are called tirthasthanas or Kshetras. There are flowers as token of love and devotion. many rituals observed in the Baladevjew temple from morning to night. The daily rituals in the An essential part of puja for the Hindu temple of Baladevjew are generally observed in devotee is making a spiritual connection with a the same way as practiced in the temple of Lord deity. Most often that contact is facilitated through Jagannath. The deities are worshipped here in an object: an element of nature, a sculpture, a ‘Sodasa Upachara’ with Rudra, Durga and vessel, a painting, or a print. Generally, special Vishnu mantras and stotras. The financial communication with a deity is made through the contingencies of the temple here have never intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a allowed all the rituals to be observed like that of strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. the great temple. Anyway, its pattern is more or During puja, the divine presence is invoked by less same as the deities in both the temples are which the devotee obtains blessings. worshipped in Vishnu mantras of the Vaishnavite cult. The most significant aspect of the temple worship is its collective character. Peoples’ The methods of worship involve certain participation is both the purpose and the means rituals called Upacharas or services. Offering of a temple. The community is either actually or flowers to the deity during the upachara is an symbolically involved in temple worship. The July - 2015 # Odisha Review 133 rituals that dominate temple worship are therefore contained in a shrine. And an icon is meaningful socio- religious in character. only in the context of a shrine that is worthy to house it. The icon and its form; the temple and its The worship in a temple has to satisfy the structure; and the rituals and their details, are all needs of individuals as also of the community. The thus interrelated. worships that take place in the sanctum and within the temple premises are important; so are the Followings are the rites, rituals, and the festivals and occasional processions that involve festivals which are performed daily in the direct participation of the entire community. They Baladevjew temple. complement each other. While the worship of the deity in the sanctum might be an individual’s Joy Mangala Arati: - After sunrise early in the spiritual or religious need; the festivals are the morning, arati is performed with camphor and expression of a community’s joy, exuberance, ghee bati arati by the name of Joy Mangala devotion, pride and are also an idiom of a Arati. A large number of people witness it. Local community’s cohesiveness. devotees gather in the morning to have the darshan of the gods and goddesses after arati. The appointed priests carry out the This is the common feature of every morning. worship in the temple on behalf of other devotees. It is hence parartha, a service conducted for the Nitya Snana: - In the second stage, Joy sake of others. Priests, generally, trained in ritual Mangala Arati is followed by Nitya Snana. It is procedures, pursue the service at the temple as a performed daily after arati. The water used for profession. The texts employed in this regard the purpose is sanctified with sandal paste, describe the procedural details of temple worship, champhor, honey, floras, curd, milk etc. elaborately and precisely. In addition, the worship Ballava Dhupa:- After the sacred bath, the God routine was rendered more colorful and attractive is offered Ballava Dhupa which means early by incorporating a number of ceremonial services breakfast in which Singar Ukhada (made of (upacharas) and presentations of music, dance, sugar, molasses and fried rice), Puri, Nadiakora drama and other performing arts. These also (Ladoos made of coconut), Dalimba, the betel ensured larger participation of the enthusiastic and betel nut without lime (bidia pan) is also devotees. offered to the deities. They hold the view that Japa, homa, Pahili Dhupa: - In succession, Pahili Dhupa or dhyana and Archa are the four methods of Khechudi Dhupa forms the significant feature of worshipping the divine; and of these, the Archa every day activity. Khechudi Dhupa is offered (worship) is the most comprehensive method. This to the God. It is served before noon. So it is called is the faith on which the system is concerned with pahili dhupa. It is made of rice, mug dal the attitudes, procedure and rituals of deity vegetables and ghee. The plate on which the item worship in the temples. However, it is related to is served also contains ripe banana, kanipitha, icons and temple structures rather sugar, milk, coconut, along with four kinds of comprehensively. The rituals and sequences of curries.