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Puri, April 11: In keeping with the ancient traditions of the temple, members of the Banajag team never venture out in search of the holy wood without Khanduapata (silken clothes worn by the Trinity) on their heads.
Donning these clothes makes them feel energetic as they begin their odyssey from the Jay Vijay dwar (door) of the temple with their cries of Jay Jagannth renting the air. Therefore, the Banajaga Yatra is coterminous with the arrival of the deities in Puri.
The tradition also reminds us about the ancient man’s love and respect for nature as trees and environment were thought essential for the survival of mankind.
These traditions along with the practice of Pradakhina (perambulation) have remained intact after so many years.
This was stated here by research officer Surendra Kumar Mishra of Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University in Puri.
King Indradyumna did whatever he was advised by Debarshi Narada to enshrine the Trinity. Legend has it that even Prajapati Brahma (the creator of universe) descended from Brahmalok and moved around the chariot of Lord Jagannath three times in front of the temple.
After the formation of the idols, King Indradyumna erected a temple whose height was thousand hands long to house them. Afterwards, he went to Brahmalok to invite Prajapati Brahma for the consecration of the temple.
Brahma accepted his invitation and asked him to also invite Maharshi Bharadwaj to help him perform the rituals during the ceremony. According to his advice, Maharshi Bharadwaj performed the consecration rituals at the temple.
As advised by Brahma, king Indradyumna brought the Chaturdha Murti (idols of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, Lord Jagannath and Sudarshan) from Adapamandap (which then existed to the east of Malini river flowing on Grand Road) and placed them on the chariots before moving to Srimandir.
Notably, the place where the Lord had his birth is now famous as Gundicha temple and the Ratha Yatra is only a reminder of the ancient tradition.
After his arrival, Brahma moved around the Lord’s chariot thrice in front of the temple. Thus the tradition of Pradakhina has been in practice ever since.
The idols were then brought down from the chariors and taken to the temple. When requested by Maharshi Bharadwaj to consecrate the idols, Brahma bowed before the idols and chanted Swastyana (hymns of blessings) before coming back to his seat.
The place where Brahma was sitting came to be known as Mukti Mandap. Explaining the reasons for his denial to consecrate the idols, he said the Lord being eternal and self-manifest there is no need to consecrate his idols.
The tradition of Pradakhina has found a place in our Sanatan Parampara and has been in practice through the ages. Specific rules have been laid down for Pradakhina of various deities. While the scriptures specify to move seven times around Mahavishnu one has to move five times around Maa Durga.
Similarly, one should move twice around Lord Ganesh and half-way around Lord Shiva. Although scriptures call for perambulating around Lord Vishnu four times, one takes seven rounds of the idol of Lord Jagannath as Sri Jagannath tradition is on the line of Mahvishnu’s worship.
After identifying the holy wood, the Banajaga team offers Angyamala to the tree. The Lenka servitors then bring the Chakranarayan and touch the holy wood with it. Later, apart from Brahmins and Bishwakarma servitors, the Daita, Patimohapatra and Lenka servitors move around the holy tree – a clear reminder of worshipping trees in ancient times.
The Pradakhina is done for atonement of the sins of cutting down the tree, possible mistakes in reciting of the hymns and slips in sculpting of the idols.
The members with folded hands submit themselves before the tree praying it to forgive them for their sins. They again move around the tree chanting hymns. According to Tantra tradition, the ‘Daru’ or the holy wood springs to life after the rituals. The new idols, after they are consecrated at Mahasmasan (burial ground), had to be taken around the temple seven times before they are taken inside. The secret ritual is carried out even today in Srimandir at midnight away from the public glare.
After being taken around the temple for seven times, the new idols are taken to the ‘Anasar’ cell. This philosophy of atonement has helped mankind receive divine blessings across ages.