Orissa Review * June - 2006 The Lord and His Land Dr. Nishakar Panda He is the Lord of Lords. He is Jagannath. He century. In Rajabhoga section of Madala Panji, is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. Lord Jagannatha has been described as "the He is the only cult, he is the only religion, he king of the kingdom of Orissa", "the master is the sole sect. All sects, all 'isms', all beliefs or the lord of the land of Orissa" and "the god and all religions have mingled in his eternal of Orissa". Various other scriptures and oblivion. He is Lord Jagannatha. And for narrative poems composed by renowned poets Orissa and teeming millions of Oriyas are replete with such descriptions where He is the nerve centre. The Jagannatha has been described as the institution of Jaganatha sole king of Orissa. influences every aspect of the life in Orissa. All spheres of Basically a Hindu our activities, political, deity, Lord Jagannatha had social, cultural, religious and symbolized the empire of economic are inextricably Orissa, a collection of blended with Lord heterogeneous forces and Jagannatha. factors, the individual or the dynasty of the monarch being A Political Prodigy : the binding force. Thus Lord Lord Jaganatha is always Jagannatha had become the and for all practical proposes national deity (Rastra Devata) deemed to be the supreme besides being a strong and monarch of the universe and the vivacious force for integrating Kings of Orissa are regarded as His the Orissan empire. But when the representatives. In yesteryears when Orissa empire collapsed, Lord Jagannatha had been was sovereign, the kings of the sovereign state seen symbolizing a seemingly secular force of had to seek the favour of Lord Jaganatha for the Oriya nationalism. their success in administration or participation in war. Madala Panji the magnum opus of Lord Jagannatha being the real king of Orissa in the days of yore, was believed to be Orissa is the richest landlord. He owns vast compiled for the first time in the late sixteenth tracts of land in all parts of India. Hardly there 158 Orissa Review * June - 2006 is any important region in India where the Lord honour of Jagannath have great influence on has no land of his own. He is the sole deity in the religious and cultural life of the people of the country in whose favour donations of land Orissa. During the Sayana Yatra in the temple have been made not only by the Kings and of Lord Jagannatha, the Lord goes to sleep. Monarchs but also by the common people. During the period of this Sayana Yatra lasting Apart from the collateral donations, a sort of for about 3 months, all ceremonies such as spiritual dedication of life and property also marriage, sacred thread ceremony, the coming is offered to Him all over Hindustan. of the bride to her father-in-law's place, etc. are all suspended and during the rising Humbleness to Lord was not a simple ceremony of the Lord (Devotthana), all these ritual but a political necessity. The roots of activities are resumed again. All kinds of trees Mahatma Gandhi's decision to start his are planted in various parts of Orissa during padayatra from Puri may be traced in the the Ratha Yatra festival of the Lord because importance of Jagannath. After formation of these days of the festival are considered to be Orissa State, K.C. Gajapati Narayan Dev, the the most auspicious. The first fruit of any crop Raja of Paralakhemundi, took oath as the first grown in Orissa is presented to the Lord. Prime Minister of Orissa in 1936 A.D. One of Ratha Yatra a special festival of the Lord his first acts was to pay a ceremonial visit to is celebrated in every nook and corner of the Lord Jagannatha though there was bitter State and in various places of India and the dynastic rivalry existing between the kings of World with new enthusiasm and spirit. Car Paralakhemundi and the kings of Puri. festival in U.S.A. and other parts of the World, A Symbol of Social Solidarity: the Lords chariot-pulling in Gujarat and other In our social tradition, whatever is done States bear the testimony of deep-rooted bond for welfare of the family or the individual is of people in all walks of life with Lord Jagannath. Only in Delhi two Jagannatha attributed to Lord Jagannatha. This is regarded temples have been built where the Car festival as a rich social tradition and this tradition exists and the other festivals of Jagannatha are in the social life of some parts of India in enthusiastically celebrated. Though the general and Orissa in particular. In the marriage foreigners are restricted to enter the Lord's and other religious ceremonies, the house-hold temple at Puri, it seems now that the foreigners people take it as their prime duty to satisfy are more attracted for Jagannath Dharma. At their guests with Mahaprasad of Jagannath the time of Ratha Yatra every year some of before serving them with other kinds of food. them use to dance with the prayers of the Lord This system has strengthened the bond of by playing the musical instruments. Baripada's fraternity and has helped people in establishing importance for 'Rathayatra' stands next to that brotherly relationship in their social life. In of Puri. Since the sixteenth century marriages, the parties come together to take innumerable pilgrims have been forming the oath before Lord Jagannatha to make their crowd at Baripada of Mayurbhanja district to relation firm and permanent. The marriage see Lord Jagannatha on his chariot. Millions invitation card is first offered to Jagannatha of followers of Iskcon throughout the World before being distributed among the kith and celebrate the car festival of Lord Jagannath with kins. Various festivals and ceremonies held in gaity and devotion. 159 Orissa Review * June - 2006 Various legends associated with Lord the non-Aryans evince the spirit of inferiority Jagannatha still occupy a prominent place in complex. The Puri Temple, Sriksetra,as it is religious sentiments among the people of called is the all pervading symbol of equality, Orissa. The legend of Kanchi invasion of fraternity and secular sovereignty. Purusottama Dev, the Lord becoming beggar The sacred food offered to God is rich as described in Laxmipurana, the story of in quality and content. Therefore, it is Raghuarakhsita, Balarama Das, Jagannatha popularly called the Mahaprasad, the like of Das, Bandhu Mohanty of Jajpur, Dasia Bauri, which is not found anywhere in India. Food, Poets Salbega, Dinakrushna Das are very the first and foremost requirement of human popular legends of Orissa which are still fresh life and existence is not only offered to the in the minds of the people of the State. deity but is also meant for all the people, A Source of Religious Resurrection : irrespective of their caste, creed and position Jagannath cult is not confined to any and they satisfy their hunger and religious particular sect or religion. It is cosmopolitan fasting with utmost comfort. Food is available in nature. It has integrated in its fold all beliefs in the temple always and for all. The Lord of and practices and become universal. The the land sitting in the he Ratnavedi with ease multiplicity of ritualistic practices in the lord's holds out His hands for giving food to His temple leads us to divergent theories in respect hungry and devoted millions. All the seasonal of its origin. But, as far as the religious foods offered to the deity are also made development is concerned, the historical data available to the public. This arrangement is from age to age revealed the religious attitude unique in a temple visited by lakhs. In the and faith of the people as well as of the rulers Lord's eye all are equal. People with varied operated in evolving the cult of Jagannath. The caste, creed and culture and status take His cult is not derived from any particular religious Mahaprasad sitting together in the 'Ananda system, practice or belief, it is a combination Bazar' the common dining place inside the of countless religious thoughts temple. One source of administrative discomfort for the British officials was the close Lords were considered as the supreme relationship existed between the Oriya head of the state or the state deity. Jagannatha nationalism and Lord Jagannath in the closing Dharma thereby became the mass religion years of the nineteenth century. They believed (Gana Dharma) of Orissa.Thus,this Dharma that only the Oriya employees of the embraces all the religions and assimilated them Government were susceptible to the Orissan in itself. It however became more popular when custom of "Mahaprasad brotherhood" formed it assimilated Buddhism, Saivism, Saktism and by sharing the sacred rituals of Lord Jagannath, finally the Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Lord's abode, which was an effective barrier to the smooth the Puri Temple is the symbol of the synthesis functioning of administration. This was so of the Aryan and the Non-Aryan cultures. Yet, because the Mahaprasad brothers are supposed the speciality of the Jagannath Temple and the to come to each other's help and assistance Jagannath Cult, in this synthesis, is that neither under any circumstance ignoring the code of the Aryans have displayed their traditional legal and moral principles and even humane feeling of aristocratic self-consciousness nor feelings. Any deviation from this rule is 160 Orissa Review * June - 2006 considered a worst sin one commits.It is not cultural connections associated with the people only a betrayal of a Mahaprasad brother but of the State.