Orissa Review * June - 2006

Tulasi Kshetra

Er. Nirakar Mahalik

Tulasi Kshetra Kendrapara is one of the five the south which was once known as Uttar holy Kshetras of Orisssa. It houses the temple Tosali or UCHA (ODRA) of Hiuen-Tsang. of Lord Baladeva Jeu in the heart of this This deltaic region is a very fertile land formed Kshetra. The same rites and rituals of Lord by the three major rivers of Orissa namely at are generally followed here , Brahmani and Baitarani falling to which makes Kendrapara equally attractive. It the sea. is only 95 Km away from the state capital People of the locality are worshipping . Literature the God of Agiculture like Brahama. Tantra and oxen/bull for written by Vedavyas and prosperity. In the Padma Puran speak the medeaval Bengali glory of this place. literature it appears that Here Lord Lord Siva is represented Balabhadra married by a cultivator who Tulasi, the daughter of ploughs his field, seeds the demon king sow, take out weeds, cut Kandarasura and resided grass and carries it to his here secretly. So this house on his head. We place is called Tulasi know that the wisdom of Kshetra or Gupta Balabhadra is that of Siva Kshetra. It is also known of the Universe. Hence as Brahma Kshatra, Siva - Balabhadra is the Kandarapadi or God of Agriculture from Kendarapada. From the the ancient times. ancient times this Kshetra was extended from In the Oriya Mahabharat, Adikavi (Kalinga Sagar) in the east, the Sarala Das has described the three deities - high hill of Lalitagiri as well as the Assia Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannath as the mountain range in the north-west, Holy river embodiments of Nara, Bramha and Hari Baitarani in the north and river Mahanadi in respectively. In Jagannath Charitamruta by

132 Orissa Review * June - 2006

Dibakara Das he is portrayed as "shling Bija", After persuading him from Kapilas, Lord Subhadra as 'Hling Bija' and Jagannath as 'Kling Balabhadra killed the wicked demon Bija'. Kandarasura in a fight and threw his slain body According to Vedic literature, Devi all over nearby places by cutting it into pieces. Subhadra is Kshar (Perishable) called Prakriti It is a popular belief among the local and Baladeva, the Vedic Lord Rudra or the people that the scattered body was fallen at Akshara of Vedant, represent "Elemental self". Asureswar, Balagandi, Kamar Khandi, Navi Both Kshra and Akshara are sub-ordinated to Khanda which places are named after the head Purusottama known as Jagannath, the Eternal (Aswa Sira), trunk (Gandi of Aswa) waist Unburn as also the cosmic streaming forth. (Kamar-Khanda) and Naval (peice of Navi) In Durga Saptasati, the triad have a of the demon Kandarasura respectively. It is tantric eulogization. According to Tantrik also belived that the Siva temples of devotees Balabhadra is none other than Swapneswar at Kantia, Lankeswara of Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge. Gualisingh, Bileswar of Kagal were founded Subhadra is worshipped as the divine by Baladeva over the face, neck and waist of expression of Mahalaxmi, The Goddess of the demon respectively, Balagandi, the place Wealth, Jagannath is the divine expression of where the trunk of Kandarasura had fallen is Lord , the Creator and Preserver of the called Kandara padi (Kendrapara). One Universe. Not only this the Tantric devotees menhir with some Tulasi trees were existing also worship Balabhadra as Ugratara, Subhadra there. as Bhubaneswari and Jagannath as Before killing the demon, Lord Dakhinakali. Balabhadra at first killed Madhudaitya, the There are several myths and legends chief military general of Kandarasura at surrounding Lord Baladeva Jeu at Kendrapara. Lalitagiri through his war weapon plough. The Legend records that Kandarasura, a demon blood gushing out from the body of the general king, destroyer of Jajnas, was ruling over the formed a river named Madhusagar (now area surrounding Lalitagiri and Assia mountain Gobari river) which flow towards east by the ranges. Tulasikshetra Mahatmya reveals that side of Kandarasura Menhir and ultimately he lived near Lalitagiri - Alatigiri and was meet the sea. terrifying people. Lord Balabhadra defeated Lord Balaram married Tulasi, the only him in a fight as a result of which he left the daughter of Kandarasura on the 12th day of place, went to Kapilas mountain near the bright fortnight in the month of Magha and lived in disguise in the nearest which is observed with pomp and ceremony mountain ranges as he was an ardent devotee every year as 'Tulasi bibaha day' (marriage day of Lord Siva. Lord Balabhadra thoroughly of Tulasi) in the Baladeva Jeu Temple, searched every nook and cornors of the hill Kendrapara. The place where this marriage and lastly ploughed the hill with his plough was performed is renamed as Tulasi Kshetra. (hala) as a result of which one perennial spring It is said that after the death of emerged from the hill, which is now called his dead body was transformed into a 'Langal Siar Jharana' (spring of the plough). Manibigraha (stone image) which was

133 Orissa Review * June - 2006 worshipped byDevatas at the door of Patalpuri Gobardhana, Janardana, Purusottama, which is identified with Lalitagiri in Dwapar Sudarsana, Balabhadra, Vamana, Vasudeva, Yuga. When Kali yuga appeared Buddha Visnu, Narayan, Narasimha and Padmanava. Dharma (Buddhism) spread over the area. Thus the period of Bhaumakara rule is very Devatas kept the image of Balabhadra in important for Orissa from the religious point disguise under water of Madhusagar (river of view. For the first time we come across the Gobari). After Gopal Siddha Das, a cowherd name of Balabhadra in the Inscriptions of boy discovered the stone image of Balabhadra Orissa. near Siddha Sarobar it is worshipped at The original temple was demolished by Kendrapara it is worshipped as Siddha Baladev Khan-i-Duran (1660-1667 AD), the then Jeu after the name of Siddha Das, who Subedar of Orissa during the time of Moghal discovered the deity first. Emperor Aurangazeb on 2nd April 1661 AD. In the 13th century A.D., king He constructed one Masjid on the foundation Anangabhima III of Ganga dynasty constructed of the dismantled temple in the year 1663 A.D. one temple for the worship of Lord Siddha Devotees of Lord Baladev Jeu, took the Baladeva Jeu near present Kacheri of old deity in disguise in a boat through the river Kendrapara town which is about 60 hands (28 Govari and kept the deity in a secret place near mtrs) high over a vedi (Mandapa) constructed Baranga (Chhedara) Jungle. Afterwards it was previously. shifted to Balarampur village near Luna river Some historians are of the opinion that at Sakhi Bata. So this place is sacred for the stone image of Lord Baladeva Jeu on a plain . and square mandapa (length 75 dhanu) was The present shrine of Siddha Baladeva worshipped by Kalyan Devi, the queen of Jeu was constructed during the Maratha rule Madhav Raj of Sailodbhava dynasty during 7th in Orissa (1761 AD) of Ichhapur (Kendrapara). century. This Mandapa was renovated by 2nd It was constructed by the king of Kujanga, Indradyumna Yayati Keshari and was Gopal Sandha and Zamidar (land lord) of consecrated by the Brahmans brought from Chhedara killah, Srinivas Narendra Mahapatra. . One saint (Santha) Gopi Das and Sairatak Giri Other historians differ from the above convinced the then Maratha Chief Janoji and views and in their opinion, one Mandapa (vedi) constructed the Jagamohan, Bhoga Mandapa was constructed during the period of of the main temple, temple of Gundicha and Bhaumakaras for the worship of Lord compound wall. The Viman and Jagamohan, Balabhadra at Kendrapara and subsequently are built in pidha style of temple architecture. reconstructed by the Ganga monarch Afterwards Mukti Mandap, Ananda Bazar, Anangabhimadeva-III as stated above. Mention Bhandaraghar (store house), Gouranga have been made of the Copper Plate temple, Basudeva Temple and Garuda pillar of Sivakaradeva, the king Gayada of were constructed inside the temple enclosure. Bhaumakara dynasty, in which we come across Painting of some Hindu iconography was done the name of Hari, Damodar, Haladhar, on the roof ceiling and inner wall of Madhusudan, Govinda, Tribikram, Jagamohan. The entire area surrounding the

134 Orissa Review * June - 2006

Lord Baladeva Jeu temple is traditionally Chherrah Panhara etc. After the death of the known as Tulasi Kshetra. The image of Tulasi Zamindar, his widow queen sold all the rights Devi is worshipped in a temple near village of the temple to the then Zamindar of Gochha on the northen side of the road from Kendrapara, the Radheshyam Narendra family. Kendrapara to Ichhapur. Now the Chherrah panhara rituals before the The stone image of Lord Balabhadra and Lord Balabhadra is performed by the wooden idols of Jagannath, Subhadra and successors of late Radheshyam Narendra. Sudarsan are also worshipped according to the Bhoga like 'Rasabali' is famous in Baladeva rituals of the temple in Lord Jagannath at Puri. Jeu temple. Besides this, the festival of , Mahabishuva Sankranti (Pana Tulasi Kshetra (Kendrapara) and its Sankranti), Chandan yatra, Snana Purnima, adjoining areas were once upon a time a centre Shravan Purnima (Baladeva Janma and of Buddhist and Saivite cultures. Some of the Magha Sukla Dwadasi (Tulasi Bibaha) are Buddhist and Brahmanical images recovered some of the main festivals observed in the from here have been preserved in the Indian Baladeva Jeu temple at Kendrapara. Museum at Calcutta (Kolkata). This place is very near to Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri Tulasi Kshetra Kendrapara is very much where famous university of Puspagiri and proud of poets, writers and artists like Buddha Vihar flourished since 3rd-2nd century Achutananda Goswami, Madhu Das of Kantia B.C. Therefore the entire deltaic area from Matha, Phagu Das, Bhikari Dibakar, Baikuntha Lalitagiri to the river Mahanadi and the sea is Mahapatra, Baisya Sadasiva, Bhakta Kabi full of sacttered Buddhist antiquity. Zamidar Gangadhar Narendra Bipra Madhuri of 16th of Chhedaragarh also was worshipping one of century, Ramasankar Roy, Gourisankar Roy, the Buddha images in the dense forest of Golaka Pradhan (2nd Bhanja), Kuntala Kumari Baranga Jhada inside a temple facing north. Sabat, Bidyut Prava Das etc. There are also The present Siddha Baladeva Jeu temple, many renowned poet and writers those have Kendrapara was constructed on the same spot. contributed to the Oriya literature like late Arta Now the old image of Buddha in the campus Ballabha Mohanty, Kahnu Charan Mishra, is being worshipped as the father of Lord Surendra Mohanty. Bhikari Charan Pattanaik, Baladeva named Basudeva. Kabi Prasad Mohapatra and renowned poet Sitakanta Mahapatra, Dipak Mishra, Car festival of Lord Balabhadra in the Sribatschha Nath, Nimai Charan Pani, Sukadev Tulasi Khetra is celebrated on the 2nd day of Sahu etc., poet and dramatist Natyarathi Gopal bright fortnight in the month of Asadha just Dash, historian Pratap Kumar Roy and like the Car Festival of Puri. He moves in a ancestors of Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Senapati magnificent chariot called 'Taladhwaja'. His also hailed from this place. chariot is 39 feet (12 mtrs) in height and 24 feet (7.5 mtrs) in diameter having 14 wheels. Cultural contribution of Tulasikshetra Two black and two white horses are fitted in towards yatra, Drama, Ramalila, front of the chariot. Nacha, Idol dance (Kandhei Nacha) Nama Sankirtan and Pala are praiseworthy. Pala Zamindar of Chhedaragarh was gayak Nidhi Nath, Mani Nath, Hari Nath, performing all royal duties of Puja like Narayan Kar, Keshab Kar, Golak Das,

135 Orissa Review * June - 2006

Niranjan Kar, Parikshit Nanda, Rabi Mishra 5. The Cult of All - Merciful Lord - Durga Madhab Bhagabata Panda , Anadi Nayak and about 70 Dash, Orissa Review, July, 2005. or more Pala gayaks are pride of this place. 6. Balabhadra Upasana and Tulasi Kshetra - Singers like Nimai Charan Harichandan, Nirakar Mahalik, Orissa Review, July 2005. Samrat , Violine artist 7. Kendrapara Zilla Itihasa - Pratap Kumar Ray. Sunakar Sahu, Rakhal Mohanty, Dibakara 8. Yuge Yuge Tulasi Kshetra - Dr. Basudev Das Sahu and many others are glory of this Tulasi Utkal Prasanga, June, 1993. Kshetra. 9. Narayan Cult in Orissa - Priyadarsani Bakshi References : Debendra Nath Bhoi, Orissa Review, June, 2004. 1. Sunya Puran by Ramai Pandit, D.C. Sen Banga 10. Orissa District Gezetters, , Chief Editor Sahitya Parichaya, Rudra Siva as an Agricultural - N.C. Behuria. deity, Nanimadhab Chowdhury - I.H.Q. Vol.IV. 11. Kendrapara Zillah Itihasa - Pratap Kumar Roy. 2. Balabhadra Upasana - Kshirodra Prasad 12. Oriya Sahitya Sanskrutiree Tulasi Kshetra - Mohanty, Utkal Prasanga, July 2001. Basudeva Kar, The Samaj, Nov.1982. 3. Shree Jagannath Mandir O' Shree Jagannath Tatwa - Pandit Surya Narayan Dash. 4. Missing Link of Lord Jagannath Cult - Tribikram Mallick, Orissa Review, July, 2003. Er. Nirakar Mahalik lives at N1/82, IRC Village, Bhubaneswar - 15.

136