Bhubaneswar: After a nine-day long sojourn in Gundicha Temple, the Holy Trinity Lord Balbhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath accompanied by the Weapon God, Lord Sudarshan, are headed to their abode, the Srimandir (the principal shrine) in Puri today.
The grand affair, Bahuda Yatra, commenced in the pilgrim town with a ceremonial procession ritual called the ‘Bahuda Pahandi’. The grand chariots had been parked at the Nakachana Dwara of Gundicha Temple, waiting for the return journey of the deities.
Bahuda Yatra is the return journey of Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from the Gundicha Temple to the Srimandir Temple in Puri, Odisha. It is celebrated on the 10th day of the Rath Yatra festival, which is also known as Devshayani Ekadashi1.
The deities are taken out of the Gundicha Temple in a ceremonial procession called Bahuda Pahandi and placed on their respective chariots23. The chariots are then pulled by devotees along the Grand Road towards the Srimandir Temple. On the way, the chariots stop at the Mausima Temple, where the deities are offered Poda Pitha, a sweet made of coconut, rice, jaggery and lentils.
The chariot of Lord Jagannath, called Nandighosha, also stops in front of the King’s Palace, where the king performs a ritual called Chhera Pahanra, which involves sweeping the chariot with a golden broom and sprinkling sandalwood water. The chariot of Devi Subhadra, called Darpadalana, and the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, called Taladhwaja, are parked at the Singha Dwara (Lion’s Gate) of the Srimandir.
The deities are then taken inside the temple in another procession called Niladri Bije (Homecoming) and placed on their throne.
The Bahuda Yatra is a grand spectacle that attracts millions of devotees from across the world. It is believed that by witnessing the Bahuda Yatra, one can attain salvation and be freed from the cycle of rebirth.
Today, as the three chariots roll towards Srimandir, during Bahuda Yatra, they stop for a while at the Mousima Temple. Mausi Maa is also known as the Ardhashosini temple, which is dedicated to the aunt of Lord Jagannath. In this temple, the deities are offered ‘Poda Pitha’, a sweet made of coconut, rice jaggery and lentils, as part of rituals.
After spending a brief time in Mausi Maa temple, the deities start their further journey to the Srimandir. The chariot of Subhadra and Balabhadra moves forward and is parked at Singhadwar (Lion’s gate) while the chariot of Jagannath takes a halt in front of the King’s Palace.
Devotees in large numbers flocked Puri today, to offer prayers to the deities today. Adequate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the Bahuda Yatra.
