Pahandi Vijaya (Ratha-yātrā)

Pahandi Vijaya (Ratha-yātrā)

When the Ratha-yātrā Festival commences, the three vigrahas are brought from Srī Maṇḍira to the chariots in a procession called pahandi or pandu vijaya. The same procession takes place when the Deities are brought to the snana vedi during Snāna Yātrā and also the return Ratha-yātrā (Ulta Ratha or Bahuda Yātrā) from the Gundica Maṇḍira. The name pahandi vijaya comes from the Sanskrit pada-hundan, meaning “walking very slowly” as Jagannāthadeva proceeds very slowly during as He approached the Ratha. The daityas hold soft mattresses made of cotton and carry the Lord from one mattress to the next, all the way to the waiting chariot.

In the procession from Srī Maṇḍira to the Ratha or chariot, Sudarsana Cakra is brought first and placed on the chariot of Subhadrā Devi. Then Baladeva will be brought to His chariot, Subhadrā to Hers and lastly Srī Jagannāthadeva. The daityas carry (the Deity of) Subhadrā Devī on their shoulders and run very fast and bring Her to Her chariot. Baladeva and Jagannāthadeva are bound and carried by the daityas by their hands and shoulders. Jagannātha and Baladeva will come to the Rathas by Their own sweet desire, no one can do anything to move or stop Them.

The daityas who bring Jagannātha, Baladeva to Their chariots are called kala-verhiya, and they also pull the chariot with the yatris, pilgrims, who come to participate in the Jagannāthadeva’s Ratha-yātrā. In ancient times, there would be as many as 1400 bethiya of Jagannāthadeva,12 hundred of Baladeva prabhu, 12 hundred of Subhadrā Devī.

When the Deities are seated on the chariots, according to the ancient tradition, the King of Puri will come and sweep the path before the chariots with a golden broom. This menial service offered by the King is called chera pahara. As mentioned in Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya-līlā13.15-16).

tabe prataparudra kare apane sevana

suvarna-marjani lana kare path asammarjana

andana-jalete kare pathan isecane

tuccha seva kare vasi’ raja-simhasane

 

King Prataparudra came and taking golden broom, clean the road, brooming the road and sprinkling sandal water, rendering this service he will come to his royal palace, his sighasana, he being so high but doing minuet seva so Jagannāthadeva is very happy.

After chera pahara, the Rathas of Baladeva, Subhadrā and Jagannātha are pulled by devotees while the local police protect the ropes pulling the chariots. In front of chariot there are many sankirtana mandali, performing sankirtana. > For days. By the mercy of Śrīla Gurudeva, Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, the last few years our saṅkīrtana team being on the top has been very successful, and we hope that Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā are very happy with our kīrtana maṇḍalī.

> While the rathas are travelling between Śrī Maṇḍira and Guṇḍicā, there is a place called Balagaṇḍi Udyāna where the chariots stop. The sevakas of Jagannāthadeva become tired and take some rest here while the Lords are offered a special bhoga known as Balagaṇḍi bhoga. In the afternoon the rathas will gradually start again on their journey towards Guṇḍicā Maṇḍira.

> Sometimes the chariots reach Gundica Maṇḍira in one day or sometimes two, depending on Jagannāthadeva’s sweet desire. Whenever or wherever Jagannātha decides to stop, no one can move Him. During Mahāprabhu’s time, the King engaged armies and elephants but they could not move the Lord. Jagannāthadeva will only move according to His own desire.

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> The fifth day of Ratha-yātrā is Hera Pancami, when Lakṣmī Devī leaves Śrī Maṇḍira in search of Jagannāthadeva. Upset at be unable to find Her Lord, Lakṣmījī breaks part of the chariot that carried Jagannātha from Nilacala to Sundaracala. On the seventh day, an evening arati is offered called sandhya darśana and on the eighth day the rathas will be moved towards face south in preparation for the return Ratha-yātrā on the ninth day when the Deities will again ascend the chariots, and be lovingly pulled back to Śrī Maṇḍira by Their devotees. Lakṣmī Devī is aware when Jagannāthadeva is returning and She will come out from Her Temple with the King to take darśana of Jagannātha. This is called Lakṣmī–Nārāyaṇa bhet, the meeting between Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa, in the forms of Vimalā Devī and Jagannāthadeva. When the rathas reach Simha-dvāra, the Lords are offered adharpana bhoga. On Ekadasī Jagannāthadeva will be decorated with all kind of golden ornaments (sona vesa) and on the Dvadasī Jagannāthadeva will be worshipped with niladri-utsava and then re-enter Śrī Maṇḍira.

When Jagannātha returns to the Temple, Lakṣmī Devī is feeling sulky and closes the door on Him. At this time the mahari, Devadasi, representing Lakṣmīji will argue with Jagannātha’s dayita. Jagannātha will be defeated in that argument and then the door will be opened. This opening is called bandapana and after this Jagannāthadeva will come forth and be seated on a golden simhasana.

The chariot festival also takes place in Bhubanesvara. In Puri, it takes place on asarh dvitiya, and in Bhubanesvara during the chaitrya month, on sukla astami. After five days, on dvadasi, it returns again to Bhubanesvara. It is mentioned in the bhavisya purana that prahlada maharāja, in satya yuga he pulled the chariot of Viṣṇu after that demigod siddha gandharva also arrange chariot festival.

According to the Hari Bhakti Vilasa, starting from Utthana Ekadashi, ekadashi on the white fortnight of Kartika month, there is a system of Ratha-yatra. But in Asarh Masa, during the pasya constellation shukla dvitiya, that will be Ratha-yatra of Jagannathadeva.

What to speak of India, even long ago there was a similar festival celebrated in Europe. Madam Henrietta Caraciolo has written about this festival held on the island of Sicily.

A colossal car is dragged by a long team of buffaloes through the irregular and ill-paved streets. Upon this are erected a great variety of objects—such as the Sun, Moon, and principal planets—set in rotary motion and diminishing proportionally in size as they approach the summit of the structure. This erection is in itself really imposing sumptuously decorated and put in movement in honour of Her who gave birth to the God of Charity. But its function recalls the famed car of Jagannatha.

The Ratha-yatra of Lord Jagannatha is an extremely big festival. From ancient times, all over the world many thousands of devotees come to attend the Chariot Festival. We can see nowadays this Festival takes place in many cities around the world.

The fifth day of Jagannathadeva’s Ratha-yatra is called Hera Panchami. General people think that the fifth day of the moon, pancami tithi, is Hera Pancami but this is a misunderstanding. The festival of Hera Pancami is a celebration of a pastime between Śrī Jagannāthadeva and His consort Lakṣmī Devī.

Before leaving the Sri Mandira, Jagannathadeva told Lakshmi, “I became sick during Snāna Yātrā so I want to recuperate my health” and goes outside on His Ratha-yātrā. After waiting five days for the Lord to return, Lakṣmī Devī came out of the Temple to search for Jagannāthadeva, thinking to Herself “Oh Prabhu said He will come back soon, but why is He not returning?” In the Odia language this pastime refers to the fifth day (pancami) after which the Lord left the Temple and Lakṣmīji went to see (hera) Jagannāthadeva He did not return.

Another meaning is Lakṣmī Devī got lost from Jagannāthadeva and some sampradaya in odissa they call this hara panchami and hara means getting lost, getting lost is called Hara panchami.

Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, in his Caitanya-caritamrita, refers to Hera Panchami as Lakshmi-vijayotsava (Cc. Madhya 14.1). On the fifth day of Ratha-yatra, Lakshmi Devi, along with Yamesvara Sivaji and many Devadasis, went to the Gundicha Mandira, along the bank of Narendra Sarovar.

When She reached Gundica, the daitya servants of Jagannāthadeva became very scared and hid Jagannāthadeva inside the bhoga maṇḍira. Unable to find Her husband after so much searching, Lakṣmī Devī became very angry. When She left the Gundica She saw Jagannātha’s chariot there and thought that it was the root cause of Her trouble because the chariot carried Jagannātha away from her. In Her anger She broke a small part of the chariot. Our beloved Śrīla Gurudeva has explained in detail the festival of Hera Panchami in this way to. After leaving Gundica Mandir, Lakṣmī Devī stops at one place called Hera Gohiri Sahi. When She arrives there, devotees will offer bhoga to Lakṣmī Devī there. After accepting that bhoga, She will returns to Śrī Maṇḍira again. During Jagannāthadeva’s Bahuda Yātrā, or return Ratha yātrā, the Lord’s chariot stops in front of the royal palace and Lakṣmī is brought out seated in a palanquin with Her maidservants. Jagannātha’s garlandis offered to Lakṣmī Devī, Who then offers bandapana. Bandapana means – Lakṣmīji worships the Lord, taking some uncooked rice and some durva grass, some Indian Palm leaves and a ghee lamp, She will offer arati to Jagannāthadeva and do parikramā of Śrī Maṇḍira before going back inside the Temple again.