The divine annual journey of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra will conclude on Tuesday with Niladri Bije, the final and most sacred ritual of the Rath Yatra. The Sibling Deities will ceremonially return to their abode, the Ratna Simhasan inside the Srimandir today.
The deities will be taken from their chariots into the temple in a unique ‘Goti Pahandi’ procession, marking the culmination of their annual sojourn.
Lord Jagannath Persuades Goddess Laxmi
There’s a very interesting ritual involved during the ceremonial pahandi of the deities. After Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra enter the temple, Goddess Laxmi closes the main door of the temple. She does not allow Lord Jagannath to enter the shrine. As per the legend, Goddess Laxmi is upset with Lord Jagannath as He takes His siblings to His aunt’s house leaving her behind. So, she locks Jay Vijaya Dwar in a bid to stop Prabhu Jagannath from re-entering Srimandir.
Mahaprabhu tries to convince her but she refuses to let him in. The fight concludes when Lord Jagannath confesses his mistake and offers ‘Rasagolas’ to Mahalaxmi. Thereafter she accepts his apology and allows him to enter Srimandir.
As part of tradition, yesterday witnessed the sacred Adharapana ritual—a unique offering of sweet drink served in large clay pots atop the chariots. This is offered to appease the ‘Parshva Devatas’, ‘Chandichamunda’, and ‘Asariri’, who accompany the Lords on their journey. After the deities partake spiritually, the pots are ceremonially broken.
Massive crowds gathered in Puri on Monday to witness this revered ritual, with lakhs of devotees flooding the Grand Road. Clear skies and favourable weather added to the devotional fervour.
The temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for a smooth Niladri Bije today.