Bhubaneswar: The Holy City is abuzz with activities with the commencement of the holy month Kartik. This month attracts thousands of habisyalis, who flock to the pilgrim town to observe fasts and seek spiritual enlightenment.
In adherence to customs, habisyalis devoutly observe the Kartik Brata, also known as Radha Damodar Brata, a customary religious ritual. Apart from observing fasts, they take holy dips in pilgrimage ponds and the sea.
Radha Damodara Puja is a customary religious ceremony honouring the divine union of Lord Damodar (Krishna) and Goddess Radha, embodying the ideals of love and devotion.
The Odisha government has made elaborate arrangements to ensure a smooth and sacred experience for devotees especially habisyalis during this significant festival.
To ensure their comfortable stay, the Odisha government has made lodging and fooding arrangements for habisyalis.
As part of measures to avoid stampede-like situations inside the 12th-century shrine, the temple administration has kept two gates such as Singhadwara and Paschima Dwara open for devotees to enter the temple for regulated darshan. The other gates will be used for exit only. However, this restriction does not apply to temple servitors and their families.
All About Kartik Brata
Going by the practice, habisyalis, perform ‘sankalp’ during a small puja before observing Kartika or Habisa Brata with austerity. During their month-long stay in Puri, they wake up before sunrise and complete their daily chores followed by a holy dip in Mahodadhi. They then perform the ‘baluka puja’ in which they draw rangolis of various patterns in front of a ‘Tulasi chaunra’ or basil platform. The blow of conch shells and ‘hulahulis’ create a different ambience altogether.
Following that, they worship Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva in groups and recite chapters from the Kartik Purana, a holy book read during this month. The devotees next move to Srimandir to witness mangal arati. They take food only once a day that too before sunset. For the entire month, they consume either the Mahaprasad from Srimandir or self-cooked meals, known as habisha. A lot goes into preparing habisha. Certain vegetables like different varieties of gourds, brinjal, a large number of pulses and a few leafy vegetables cannot be part of this meal.
Significance of Holy Month
- Kartik month is significant because it comes at a time when the sun travels southwards on the celestial sphere, which is considered the most auspicious time for prayers
- According to the Vedas, Lord Vishnu goes to sleep on Ashadha Ekadashi and wakes up on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi
- It is believed that during Kartik month, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu pay a visit to the Earth
- Lord Shiva killed the devil Tripurasura in the month of Kartik and protected the world
- In Kartik month, the holy river Ganga enters the other rivers, thus making them as sacred as Ganga
- Science says, in Kartik month, one gains more magnetic power from the Earth before sunrise. This may be a reason for taking a bath before sunrise during this month
