JAGATSINGHPUR: The Banajaga Yatra team finally breathed a sigh of relief after completion of Daru Chhedana (felling of holy trees) for the Trinity, the last being that of Lord Jagannath. They had started their journey in search of ‘Daru’ from Deuli Mutt in Kakatpur to Jagatsinghpur district on March 29 after the ‘divine’ guidance by Goddess Mangala, the presiding deity of Kakatpur.
While the Daru for Lord Sudarshan was found in Gadakhuntania in Khurda district, that for the three presiding deities of Jagannath temple in Puri were found in this coastal district. The sized timbers for idols of Lord Sudarshan and Lord Balabhadra have already reached the Koilibaikuntha, located near the Elephant Gate on the north side of the Puri temple, where the old deities will be buried and the new ones made.
The ‘Sagadi’ (cart) carrying the ‘Daru’ for Devi Subhadra will be reaching Koilibaikuntha soon. The timbers will be placed inside Darugruha, a special enclosure on the premises of Koilibaikuntha, and carving of the new idols would begin after Daru for Lord Jagannath arrives. The ‘Daru’ for Lord Jagannath was felled at Kharipadia village at 8.14 pm on Saturday.
As many as 20 Maharana servitors are on the job for construction of Sagadi - the cart that will be used to transport the Daru from Kharipadia to Puri - and as many others are busy in the ‘Chaupata’ (sizing of the timber) since Sunday. Other members of the Banajaga team including Daitas and Swotriya Brahmins are awaiting completion of the final stage works. With little work left for them, they went around tourist places across Jagatsinghpur district for sight-seeing on Monday. Later, they visited the Jagannath temple in Paradip.
The trunk of the felled tree, covered with silk cloth, will leave Kharipadia for Puri either on May 13 or 14. It will be carried in the Sagadi that would be pulled by Daitapatis and devotees using special ropes. This will be the last episode of the Banajaga Yatra, the opening chapter of the Nabakalebara festival of the Trinity.
Bidyapati of Banajaga Yatra team, Narsingha Pati Mohapatra said the Banajagis are finally relaxing after the last Daru for the Trinity was felled on Saturday. He said the Chaupata and Sagadi construction will be completed by Tuesday and after a ‘gupta’ puja, the journey to Puri would begin.
