JAGATSINGHPUR: The ‘Mahayajna’ for the felling of the Daru for carving the idol of Lord Balabhadra at Kanakpur Sarala temple started on Thursday with the chanting of ‘Patala Nrusingha mantra’ (invocations) by Swotriya Brahmins.
The ‘Mahayajna’, that began after receipt of ‘ajnamala’ of Lord Balabhadra from the Shree Jagannath Temple at Puri, would last for 48 hours and end with ‘Purna Ahuti’ after which, the tree will be felled. The ‘Purna Ahuti’ would be conducted after Swotriya Brahmins complete 1008 ahutis in the Yajna Mandap and 101 ‘ahutis’ near the Daru.
Before the ‘Mahayajna’, other rituals like ‘Panchha Karma’ and ‘Kalasi’ Puja were performed by the Brahmins and Daitapatis. They also performed Surya Puja and Dwarapal Puja on the day. On Wednesday, Daitapatis of the Banajaga team performed the ‘Ankuraropan’ to purify the Daru with 108 pots of holy water. Then, ‘Barana’ ritual of the tree took place.
The Banajaga Yatra team will move in the ‘Sagadi’ with the Daru to Puri on April 26 or 27. Those Daitapatis accompanying the ‘Daru’ to Puri would not join the team which will go in search of the ‘Daru’ for Devi Subhadra’s idol, said a Daitapati.