Puri: After a nine-day long annual sojourn in Gundicha Temple, the Holy Trinity- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath will return to their abode Srimandir in Puri today. The return journey is called Bahuda Yatra. ‘Bahuda’ in Odia means ‘return’. A thick blanket of security cover has been spread over Puri to ensure smooth conduct of the Bahuda Yatra.
It is an important part of Ratha Yatra and is the reverse process of the world-famous festival. There are many rituals involved in Bahuda Jatra. Mangal Aarti takes place at around 4 am as the first ritual. After that, the priests perform Tadap Lagi and Rosa Homa.
It takes around 30 minutes to complete both the rituals and they are followed by Abakash and the worship of Surya Dev. Before the yatra begins, the priests worship the gatekeepers of the Lord Jagannath, known as Dwarpala Puja. It is followed by the Gopal Ballav and Sakala Dhupa which continues for about an hour. After that, the Senapatalagi ritual is performed.
The deities are then brought out of the Gundicha temple through the ‘Nakachana Dwara’ in Pahandi (a special procession), amid beats of cymbals and gongs and the sound of conches. The deities are taken to the same chariots- Nandighosha, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana, in which they had arrived.
After a special ritual named Chhera Panhara performed by the Puri king, the chariots are pulled by the devotees back to the main temple-Srimandir. Odissi and Gotipua dancers perform to the tune of devotional music in front of the chariots. Similarly, martial artists perform ‘banati’, a traditional martial art in front of the deities.
It is considered auspicious to get a glimpse of the deities on their chariots. The return journey of Lord Jagannath (Bahuda Jatra) follows the same protocol and schedule as is found during the Ratha Yatra.
During the return journey, the three chariots stop for a while at the Mausima Temple, also known as Ardhasani Temple. This temple is dedicated to the aunt of Lord Jagannath. On the returning day from Gundicha temple, the three deities are offered ‘Poda Pitha’ (a special sweet made of rice, coconut, lentils, and jaggery) and after that, they start their journey.
Comments are closed.