<\/p>\n
Navakalevara<\/em>\u00a0 is the ceremony when\u00a0Bhagavana Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 i.e. Supreme Deity of the entire universe, assumes His new manifest alongwith His siblings\u00a0Sri Balbhadra<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Devi<\/em>\u00a0Subhadra<\/em>. It is a cosmic principle that He Himself enunciated to His disciple-friend\u00a0Arjuna<\/em>\u00a0 in the battlefield of\u00a0Kuruksetra<\/em>\u00a0 minutes before commencement of the legendary war of\u00a0Mahabharata<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0and the wisdom expounded by Him came to be known as\u00a0Bhagvadgita<\/em>\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya navani grhnati \u00a0naroaparani<\/b><\/em>\u00a0\u00a0I<\/strong><\/p>\n Tatha sarirani vihaya jirnanyanyani samyati navani dehi\u00a0<\/b><\/em>\u00a0II 2 \/ 22 II<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Just as human body is encased in clothes,\u00a0<\/strong>Jivatma<\/b><\/em>\u00a0\u00a0is encased in gross body. It is a mystical and enlightening analogy drawn by the Supreme Exponent to illustrate a profoundly mystical cosmic reality pertaining to a particular manifest of the Supreme Reality.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the Supreme Entity has been so honest to the cardinal principles laid down by Him that He periodically discards His old embodiment to assume a new one symbolized by a new wooden idol of\u00a0Neem<\/em>, crafted and installed in the sanctum sanctorum while the older, discarded one cremated in the backyards of the Holy Shrine in Puri. He is also known as\u00a0Daru Brahma<\/em>\u00a0 i.e. The Wooden Deity, unlike others crafted of metal or stone. Quite mystically, the cosmic phenomenon of\u00a0Navakalevara<\/em>\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0is brought about by Him for man while in His case, it is enacted by man for Him !! An excellent instance of cosmic reciprocity between\u00a0Nara<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Narayana<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Owing to the daily, occasional and periodic rituals like\u00a0Ratha<\/em>–Yatra<\/em>,\u00a0Snana Purnima<\/em>\u00a0 etc., wear and tear sets in the Deity\u2019s embodiment as this embodiment of\u00a0Bhagavana\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0is constituted of\u00a0Panca Mahabhuta<\/em>-s !!! Exactly as in the case of man. As this embodiment weakens and disintegrates with passage of time just as man grows old and decrepit before demise with passage of age,\u00a0Bhagavana<\/em>\u00a0 has to undergo re-embodiment.\u00a0Navakalevara<\/em>\u00a0 is precisely the grand ceremony of\u00a0Bhagavana<\/em>\u2019s re-embodiment. In this holy ritual of re-embodiment, \u2018transmigration\u2019 of\u00a0Brahma<\/em>\u00a0 from the old, decrepit\u00a0Kalevara<\/em>\u00a0 i.e. body to the newly crafted one, is a mystical ritual. Images of\u00a0Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Sri Balabhadra<\/em>\u00a0 are larger than trunk-head image of\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>\u2019s, have large heads and arm stumps.\u00a0Bhagavana Jagannatha<\/em>\u2019s head is flat on top holding large, round eyes while\u00a0Sri Balabhadra<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>\u00a0 have oval heads with almond shaped eyes. Large eyes of The Deity convey the message that He beholds all, with no exception at all.\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>, also known as\u00a0Yogamaya\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Ekanamasa<\/em>\u00a0 i.e.\u00a0Advaita<\/em>, the One is regarded as Creator of\u00a0Kala<\/em>, The Infinite Time. Worship of\u00a0Bhagavana<\/em>\u00a0Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 and His sister,\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>\u00a0 is a unique rarity symbolizing filial love.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Re-embodiment of\u00a0Bhagavana Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 is solemnized when two months of\u00a0Asadha<\/em>\u00a0 fall in a calendar year and preparations commence right in the month of\u00a0Caitra<\/em>\u00a0 of the same year. It is a rare constellation of planets which occurs once in 12 to 19 years periodically. Current calendar year of\u00a0Caitra Sukla Pratipada<\/em>\u00a02072 (2015 in Jesus Calendar) witnessed two months of\u00a0Asadha<\/em>\u00a0 hence,\u00a0Navakalevara\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0was organized during these months.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wood that is used for\u00a0Navakalevara<\/em>\u00a0 must have divine marks on it. After completing elaborate rituals,\u00a0Pati Mahapatra<\/em>\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0family,\u00a0Daitapati<\/em>-s,\u00a0Lenka<\/em>,\u00a0Maharana<\/em>-s,\u00a0Brahamana<\/em>-s,\u00a0Deulakarana<\/em>-s,\u00a0Pujari<\/em>-s and\u00a0Mahanta<\/em>-s of the Temple move in a procession known as\u00a0Banajaga Yatra<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0to pray to\u00a0Ma Mangala<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0to guide them to the right wood by appearing in dream.\u00a0Daru Brahma<\/em>\u00a0 from which\u00a0Bhagavana Jagannatha\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/i>is carved out, must be darker in complexion than the trees to be used for carving out His siblings. Presence of four principal branches embodying His four arms is essential. It must be located close to a cremation ground and a waterbody, surrounded by three mountains or close to a three-way, adjacent to an ant-hill, with a cobra-pit at the roots, no bird-nest on it\u2019s branches, no creeper growing on it, no branch mutilated or chopped off ever, must be located in company of\u00a0Varuna<\/em>,\u00a0Sahada<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Vilva<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0trees in the vicinity of a hermitage or a\u00a0Siva<\/em>\u00a0 Temple. The tree must have natural impressions of Conch-shell and\u00a0Cakra<\/em>\u00a0 on it\u2019s trunk. When such a tree eligible to be\u00a0Daru Brahma<\/em>\u00a0 is successfully located, it is wooden-carted to\u00a0Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 Temple, new Deities carved out within 21 days by\u00a0Maharana<\/em>-s in a special enclosure within Temple premises known as\u00a0Koili Baikuntha<\/em>\u00a0 on northern gate. Throughout 21 days,\u00a0Akhanda<\/em>\u00a0Bhajana<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Vedic<\/em>\u00a0 chantings by\u00a0Pujari<\/em>-s are conducted uninterruptedly outside\u00a0Koili Baikuntha\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0to drown every sound emanating from deity crafting going on inside. Once completed, new deities are carried inside and placed before old ones in utmost silence and confidentiality by three eldest\u00a0Daitapati<\/em>-s three days before\u00a0Ratha Yatra<\/em>. No one else is allowed inside and no offerings are done during the ceremony. When\u00a0Tattva Padartha<\/em>\u00a0 is transferred from the older Deity to the newer one on the midnight of\u00a0Krsna Caturdasi<\/em>, re-incarnation through re-embodiment is purported to have been accomplished. The sacred ritual is known as\u00a0Brahma Parivartana<\/em>, also involves blind-folding of all the three\u00a0Daitapati<\/em>-s and a piece of His cloth wrapped around their wrists. Newly incarnated Deities are now established on\u00a0Ratna Singhasana<\/em>\u00a0 i.e. the alter and older ones carried to\u00a0Koili Baikuntha<\/em>\u00a0 and accorded\u00a0Samadhi<\/em>\u00a0 in a sacred ritual that must be completed before dawn. Ancient traditional wisdom tells that anyone who beholds the ceremony even surreptitiously, dies sooner or later. With the crack of dawn, temple gates are opened for all to go for\u00a0Navayouvana Darsana<\/em>. It is on the third day that\u00a0Bhagavana Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0moves out for\u00a0Ratha Yatra\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/i>to His place of birth i.e.\u00a0Gundica<\/em>\u00a0Temple and His\u00a0Mausi<\/em>\u2019s home alongwith His elder brother\u00a0Sri<\/em>\u00a0Balabhadra<\/em>\u00a0 and sister\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>. After nine days, They return and the return journey is known as\u00a0Bahuda Yatra<\/em>.\u00a0Ratha<\/em>\u00a0Yatra<\/em>\u00a0 symbolizes cosmic journey through the world towards ultimate emancipation while imperfect figure of\u00a0Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 signifies, imperfection of the world around us.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Giant chariots in which Deities travel, is constructed on the occasion of\u00a0Aksaya Tritiya<\/em>\u00a0 annually.\u00a0Bhagavana Jagannatha<\/em>\u2019s chariot is known as\u00a0Nandighosa<\/em>\u00a0 or\u00a0Cakradhvaja<\/em>\u00a0 which means blissful sound.\u00a0Bhagavana Balabhadra<\/em>\u2019s chariot is\u00a0Taladhvaja<\/em>\u00a0 meaning thereby, rhythm.\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>\u2019s chariot is known as\u00a0Padmadhvaja<\/em>\u00a0 or\u00a0Darpadalana<\/em>\u00a0 implying thereof, annihilator of\u00a0Ahamkara<\/em>.\u00a0Ratha Yatra<\/em>\u00a0 is a grand, magnificent festival when\u00a0Bhagavana Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 is\u00a0Bade<\/em>\u00a0Thakur<\/em>, temple is\u00a0Bada Deula<\/em>, the road traversed is\u00a0Bada \u00a0Danda<\/em>, food dedicated is\u00a0Maha Prasada<\/em>\u00a0and the chariots, the Juggernauts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Odisha is the state where tribal and non-tribal cultural-spiritual traditions have thrived harmoniously and symbiotically in the entire recorded history.\u00a0Bhagavana Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 is the supreme deity who symbolizes that rich tradition eloquently. The Deity was first worshipped by\u00a0Saora\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0tribes in ancient times who mystically appeared in Puri much later. Even today those tribals, known as\u00a0Daitya<\/em>-s \/\u00a0Daita<\/em>-s, alone enjoy the privileges to serve Him, dress and decorate as well as regularly renovate His wooden embodiment. They still maintain most of their tribal practices while\u00a0Bhagavana Sri Jagannatha<\/em>\u00a0 represents evolution of a tribal Deity into a pre-eminent Deity of contemporary Hinduism. Original form of the present Trinitarian deities of\u00a0Bhagavana Sri Jagannatha<\/em>,\u00a0Sri Balabhadra<\/em>\u00a0 and\u00a0Devi Subhadra<\/em>\u00a0 is unitary\u00a0Dadhivamana<\/em>, first established in\u00a0Tekkali \u00a0<\/em>of Andhra Pradesh by Queen\u00a0Kasturikumudini<\/em>, widow of King\u00a0Anantavarmana<\/em>\u00a0Codagangadeva<\/em>. It is pertinent to mention at this moment that the Deity of\u00a0Lingaraja<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0Temple in\u00a0Bhuvanesvara<\/em>\u00a0 too, is served, bathed and worshipped by\u00a0Pujari<\/em>-s of\u00a0Badu<\/em>\u00a0 tribe of Odisha. Even\u00a0Narsimha Avatara<\/em>\u00a0 who burst out from a pillar to slay the\u00a0Asura<\/em>\u00a0 King\u00a0Hiranyakasyapa<\/em>\u00a0 is widely worshipped and the pillar as uniconical image, is adored as\u00a0Khambesvari Devi<\/em>\u00a0 i.e. Deity of the Pillar who is regarded as His source of\u00a0Sakti<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n As the legend moves,\u00a0Mahasivagupta<\/em>\u00a0I\u00a0Yayati<\/em>, also known as\u00a0Yayati Kesari\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0Mandala<\/em>–Panji<\/em>, discovered\u00a0Daru Brahma<\/em>\u00a0 during first half of 10th<\/sup>\u00a0century as the abode of\u00a0Sri Jagannatha ji \u00a0<\/em>was destroyed by\u00a0Yavana<\/em>\u00a0 King\u00a0Raktabahu<\/em>\u00a0 some 145 years earlier and\u00a0Pujari<\/em>-s had hidden the Deities near Sonepur to protect them from being defiled by invaders. Since idols were completely decrepit,\u00a0Yayati\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0decided to craft and install newer ones. Since then, the holy ritual of\u00a0Navakalevara<\/em>\u00a0 is being celebrated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n King\u00a0Indradyumma<\/em>, who constructed the Temple, was blessed with a boon to which he responded thus, \u201cGrant my family to be extinct so as not to leave behind even one descendant in distant future to boast around, this temple was built by an ancestor of his !\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n His supreme surrender and complete negation of ego symbolizes unresolved riddle of the origin of\u00a0Sri Jagannatha \u00a0<\/em>movement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0NAVAKALEVARA FOR DARUDEVATA BHAGAVANA SRI JAGANNATHA JI \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ramakant Tiwari Navakalevara\u00a0 is the ceremony… more