Orissa Review * July - 2005

The Mathas of Puri

Prafulla Pattnaik

Puri is a unique place where large number of Most of the mathas of Puri are connected Mathas or religious establishments belonging to with the worship of Jagannath and have various different sects are located around the shrine of sevas or duties to perform in the Temple. The Lord Jagannath. The Mathas were originally Mahantas are the Gurus or spiritual preceptors founded with the purpose of imparting education to Chelas or disciples and feeding travellers, ascetics and beggars. Gobardhan matha is one of the oldest Mathas in Puri and is believed to have been founded by Adi Sankaracharya in the 9th century A.D. Tradition assigns some mathas like the Vrugu Ashram and the Angira Ashram even to an earlier date. The Vaishnava Mathas belonging to different Sampradayas or sub-sects of the cult are numerous at Puri, of which Emar, Dakhinaprasabha and Rathavadas are supposed to be the richest. Prominent among the Goudyamathas are Radhakanta, Gangamata and of many people. In the past, they received from Kathabhogo, whereas the Oriya, Sisu and few their wealthy followers liberal gifts of money and other mathas belong to the local sect of Utkaliya endowments in land for the worship of Jagannath Vaisnavas. The Gobaradhana and the and for other charitable purposes. The priests of Sankarananda mathas situated near Swargadwar the temple used to be trained at the Sankarachayra are saiva, and the Kabir chaura matha located in matha and only after obtaining a certificate from their vicinity belong to the followers of Kabir. There the matha were eligible to enter into priesthood are two matha, viz,. Bauli and Mangu which and perform worship in the temple. But now this belong to the followers of Nanak. The Mahantas function is being performed by the Muktimandap. or the heads of these mathas usually pass on Rathavadas matha, besides other duties, arranges responsibilities to one of the chelas or disciples special bhogas in the temple during snana Yatra, by way of succession, but there are a few mathas Car festival, Chandan Yatra, Kumar Purnima, and like Kothabhola, Kalitilaka and Achari where along with Gopal Tirtha matha supplies the married Mahantas may hold the office. requirements for the Hatibesa of the deities, The

57 Orissa Review * July - 2005

Oriya matha makes arrangement for the pankti the Mahantas misutilised these assets. There was bhoga in the Jagamohan during Rakminiharan much public resentment. Some steps were taken festival and supplies Kala Sari (black cloth) to by the British Government to resume endowments goddess Vimala. This matha is also vested with of the mathas which were grossly abused, but no the duty of clearing the Rathnavedi and supplying tangible result ensured from such half hearted of canopy and pillows for the Lords. The Record measures as the British Government had of right complied under the Puri Shri Jagannath committed itself to the policy of not interference Temple (Administration) Act, 1952, mentions in in religious matters. After the achievement of detail the nities to be performed by certain mathas. Independence the Orissa Hindu Endowments Closely connected with the daily nitis and the Act,1951, with its subsequent amendments put festivals of Jagannath are the Mathas some effective control over the management of Jagannathballava, Raghavadas, Sri Ramadas, the religious and chartiable trusts. In case of gross Emar, Uttarparasva and Oriya. mis-management the commissioner of Endowments was empowered to remove the After their conquest of Orissa in 1803 the hereditary system of a matha and appoint one or British Government took over the management more persons to discharge his functions till the of the temple for some Years and made an attempt new trust was appointed in accordance with the to assess the properties of Jagannath including Provisions of the (Act 1951, Section-35). the vast landed properties endowed with the However the research scholars have prepared a list of maths available from official records like Gazetteer of Puri District 1929 and from the book "The Cult of Jagannath" written by Dr. K.C.Mishra. So a list of mathas belonging to various sects is furnished here for the ready reference of the readers though the list is not exhaustive. List of Mathas at Puri Name of the Mathas Type, Sect (Sampraday) Abadhuta Matha Modern mathas for the worship of the Lord. Mr.C.Grome, Arjundas Mathas Gouda Madhava the Collector of Puri furnished a report in 1805 in Angira Ashram Angila which he gave an account of lands under the charge Achyuta Matha Goudiya of the Mathadharis for the use of Jagannath. Bada Santha Ramanuj The lands were endowed to the mathas by Bada Matha Khairata the donors with the specific purpose of offering some bhogas or performing certain sevas in the BadaAkhada Pancha Ramanandia Temple of Jagannath or for performing other acts Bada Oriya Ati Badi of charity and the Mathantas were mere trustees Bauli Matha Nanak Panthi or marfatars. But being possessed of huge wealth Balaram Kota Ramanandi

58 Orissa Review * July - 2005

Bada chhata -do- Hati Akhada Matha Ramandi Bada Jhadu Angila Haridakhandi Matha -do- Balagandi Matha Ramanandi Jagannath Ballava Vishnuswami Baba Bramchachar Matha Gouda Madhava Jagannath alias Patipabhan Vishnuswami Bali Babaji Matha -do- Jayapur Matha Khairata Bagha Akkhada Pancha Ramanandi Jagata Mohini Matha Ramanuj Bada Tarala Madhwa Gaudeswar Jatia Babaji Matha Gouda Madhava Bankimuhan Matha alias Jena Matha -do- Padmacharan Das Matha Atibadi Jejeram Matha Ramandi Bisakha Matha Gauda Madhava Jhanjapita Goudiya Bharati Adwaita Jeer Swamy Ramanuj Balbhadra Chhata Madhwacharya Jogada Modern Chhauni Ramandi Kabir Chaura Kabirpanthi Chaulia Matha Gauda Madhava Kadali Patuka Goudiya Chikti Matha Nimbarka Kadali Patuka Angila Chakrititha Math alias Pandit Matha Ramanuj Kataki Matha Ramanuja Sri Ram Das Matha Ramanuj Kanasa Matha Gouda Madhava Dasvatra Matha Ramandi Krupa Samudra Math -do- Dampara Matha Gauda Madhava Kasusalya Das Ramanuj Degrra Matha Angila Kunja Matha Goudya Dukhishyma Baba Matha Abdhuta Kothbhoga -do- Emar Ramanuj Labanikhia Matha Angila Falahari Matha Abadhuta LanguliMatha Dasanami Gangamata Matha Goudiya Lunia Chowdhury Goudiya Gandharava Matha Goudya Mahiprakar Brahmachar Gopal Tirth Adwiata Mangu Nanakapanthi Gour Kishore Jew Matha Goudya Malei Matha Angila Goswami Matha -do- Mahaprabhujike Baitaka Ballavakula Ghumsar Matha Ramandi Mahibiria Matha Ramanuj Girinaribant Adwata Mani Ram Matha alias Bramhshara Adwaita Kapudia Matha Ramandi Haladia Matha Gouda Madhava Nandini Matha Goudiya Haridas Thakur Matha Goudiya Naga Matha Ramandi Hati Gorudeva Matha Ananta Sampradays Narasinghari matha Ramanuj

59 Orissa Review * July - 2005

Nebal Das Matha -do- Samadhi Matha Ramanju Narayan Chhata Matha Goudiya Sanchhata -do- Nirmohi Akhada Pancha Ramanand Sanu Jhadu -do- Nua Matha Ramanuj Stalahari Ati Badi Nima Akhada Pancha Ramanandi Satasan Giridhari Matha -do- Nirbani Akhada -do- Sisu Matha Utkaliya Visanava Niranjan Chhata Aghorapatnthi Siddhu Matha Ramanuj Nidhi Das Matha Gouda Madhava Sitaram Kota -do- Nandi Matha -do- Sidhbakula Matha Goudiya Omkaranath Sitram Das Gouda Madhava Sidha Bramchachari Matha Madhwacharya Paramanda Das Goudiya Suna Goswami Goudiya Punjabi Matha Ramandi Sundar Das Pancha Ramandi Purna Seva Matha Angila Siva Tirtha Adwaita Pada Matha -do- Sanu Oriya Matha Atibadi Piplayana alias Papudia Matha Ramandi Swargadwar Chhata Ramanandi Shri Purustooma math Goudiya Surangi Matha Goudiya Panjabi Matha Ramandi Sana Tarala alias Radha Kishrna Matha -do- Purna Seva Matha Angil Sataprakar Madern Pada Matha -do- Sena Santha Gaudua Madhava Piplayana alias papudia Matha Ramandi Trimiali Ramanuj Shri Purustooma Matha Goudiya Torani Chhatra Matha Ramandi Ramakrishna Modern Total Goponath Goudiya Ramaji Matha Nimbarka Uttara Parswa Ramanuj Radhavallavi -do- Vania Chhatra Khairat Radhakanta Madhwa Goudeswar Venkatchahari -do- Raghav Das Ramanuj Vruga Ashram Angila Ramanuj Kota -do- Ranganikachari -do- Rima Chhatra Khairata Rani Matha -do- Prafulla Kumar Pattnaik lives at Balabhadra Lane, Puri. Rune Matha Goudya Ramakrishna Matha Dashnami Sannyasi Sankaranandi Dandi Sannyasi Sankaracharya or Bhogobaradhan -do-

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