Only women enjoy the privilege of pulling the chariot of Goddess Subhadra at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district. Though this tradition is followed in several parts of the country now, it was first started in Baripada 38 years back.
On Thursday, thousands of devotees thronged Bada Danda, the Grand Road leading to the Harbaldev Jew temple to pull the chariots of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
The car festival here is considered second in importance, next only to Puri. Unlike Puri, the festival at Baripada however, continues for 13 days.
While on the Rath Yatra day, only ‘pahandi’ of deities is performed, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra is pulled to the Mausima temple and Devi Subhadra’s chariot half of the distance on the second day. Lord Jagannath’s chariot is pulled on the third day after Subhadra reaches her aunt’s abode.
The locals said during mid-1950s, a woman devotee was severely injured while trying to touch the rope of one of the chariots. A good samaritan, who rescued her from being trampled to death, was moved by the plight of the women devotees.
He requested the district administration to give the prerogative of pulling Devi Subhadra’s chariot exclusively to women.
Former collector and district magistrate of Mayurbhanj Vivekananda Patnaik accepted it and allowed women to pull the particular chariot.
Eminent women leaders like Indumati Pati, Chandrika Mohapatra and Kalpana Sarangi had responded to this unique thought and come forward to start the tradition. It was started in 1975, the International Women’s Year, when Indra Gandhi was the Prime Minister and Nandini Satpathy, the Chief Minister of Odisha.
“Call it a tradition or women empowerment, Baripada Ratha Yatra is a novel affair where women only get the chance to pull the chariot of Devi Subhadra. This town has set an example for others,” said Textiles and Handloom Minister Sarojini Hembram.
The Jagannath temple at Baripada known as Haribaldev Jew temple, was built by Maharaja Baidyanath Bhanja Dev in 1575 AD. The temple is a symbol of religious fervour of the Bhanja rulers of Mayurbhanj, regarded as the ‘Queen Monad’ among the princely states before they were merged with the Indian Union.
Senior priest Jayanta Kumar Tripathy said the rituals like ‘Sakala Arati’, ‘Abakas’, ‘Bata Bandhapana’ were performed before the chariots were pulled.
Nilagiri Rath Yatra
Thousands of devotees thronged Nilagiri town on Thursday to pull the chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra. The Rath Yatra here holds significance as the chariot is pulled a day after the festival is celebrated in Puri.
Devotees pulled the chariot till mid-way and the remaining distance to the Mausima temple will be covered in Friday.
“Here devotees pull the chariot for two days. While on the day of Rath Yatra, deities are installed on the chariots, the next day pulling begins and the entire process concludes on the third day,” said Anuj Das Pattnaik, managing trustee of the temple.
Chariots were pulled after Nilagiri King Jayanta Chandra Harichandan Mardaraj performed ‘Chhera Pahanra’. During ‘pahandi’, the path from the temple to the chariot was covered with a white cloth and the deities were brought on pillows. Chhera Pahanra was performed all through the path.
Nilagiri Rath Yatra has a unique significance. Here, two chariots - big and small - are constructed and six idols (three from the temple and three from a local math) of the Trinity are placed in two chariots.
