Nava Kalevara The meaning of “Nava Kalevara” is “new body”. The main Deities on the Ratna simhasana, Jagannatha. Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana, are made of neem wood, a special type of wood with antiseptic and other medicinal properties and that cannot be easily destroyed by insects. However, according to the Silpa sastra the wooden Deities need to be renewed from time to time, and this is done cyclically on a very special ritual that celebrates a human-like event of “death and rebirth” for Jagannatha. The Nava Kalevara (“new body”) celebration takes place every 12 to 19 years, according to the astrological calculation. The astrologers must find a year with two full moons in the month of Asadha (yoda asadha or “double asadha”), which is called Adi Purushottama masa. The last Navakalevara ceremonies were held in 1714, 1733, 1744, 1752, 1771, 1790, 1809, 1828, 1836, 1853, 1863, 1893, 1912, 1931, 1950, 1969, 1977, and 1996. According to the Suta Samhita: yada bhavati cha sarho maso’ yam tu malimluchah tada bhavet prabhor guhyo-lila goloka-sambhavah “Among the months the Purushottama masa or Mala masa is the most important. Among the Purushottama masas, the Asadha Purushottama masa is also known as Guhya Purushottama masa, a very secret month in which Jagannatha exhibits His Goloka lila.” The particular year in which there are two Asadha months is the year of the Nava Kalevara. On the day of Dasahara during the Vasanti Durga puja, the day after Rama Navami the Pokharia (inner sanctum) is cleaned after Madhyana Dhupa, then at an auspicious moment all the Daitas and Pati Mahapatras get together along with the Badagrahis (the four Sevakas who are responsible for the worship of the four Badas or “the four main groups of Deities”) in front of Jagannatha at the Ratna simhasana. The Pati Mahapatra ascends the Ratna simhasana and gets the ajna-mala from Bada Thakura, then offers it to the Badagrahi. He then goes to Subhadra and Jagannatha and does the same thing, and holding the ajna-mala from Sudarshana he descends the Ratna simhasana among the sounds of the bugles (long trumpets). The Pati Mahapatra leads the way with the ajna-mala from Sudarshana, followed by the Badagrahis holding the ajna-malas from Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannatha, and then by the Sabara Sevakas (Daitas) walking to the Anabasara pindi. The main archaka (priest) of Jagannatha, the Bhitara parikshaka, ties one of Jagannatha’s khandua (a typical Odissi sari that was used by Jagannatha) to the head of each of the Pati Mahapatra and the Badagrahis, and gives them some Mahaprasada as a symbol of permission from Jagannatha to perform this special service. They all go to the Jaya Vijaya dvara, where the sari-tying ceremony takes place for the Deula karana, Padiya karana, Lenka, Behera, Khuntia and Vishvakarma. Then they are officially requested to take up their respective tasks, and to the sound of the bira kahalis (a long bugle) they walk to the gate of the King’s palace (Sri Nahara). There the chief of the Daitas called the Visvavasu accepts a sacred betel nut from the Raja Guru. The Raja Guru directs the King to perform the acharya varana ceremony to appoint the Acharya for the vanajaga yatra (the forest journey). After obtaining permission, they walk to the Jagannatha vallabha gardens, where they place the ajnamalas on a special platform. They spend the day and the night there, and on the night of the next day they carry the ajna-mala towards the temple of Goddess Mangala at Kakatpur, situated on the banks of the river Prachi. The Lenka Sevaka holds a chakra danda made of silver, leading the way. Traveling on foot, they first reach the Deuli Matha, situated on the bank of the river Prachi. The next day, the main Acharya of Goddess Mangala’s temple is informed of the imminent arrival of the vanajaga yatris; as soon as he gets the news he makes arrangements to receive them with great pomp and takes them into the temple. By this time, the Sakala Dhupa of Mother Mangala has been completed The Lenka Sevaka places the chakra danda on a pedestal inside the temple, and the main Acharyas start reciting the Chandi patha in the Jagamohana of the temple as the Sevakas of the Goddess conduct the upachara puja and offer the Mahaprasada that has been brought for Her along with the flower garlands, in the presence of the Daitas and the Pati Mahapatras. With the blessing of Goddess Mangalas, the Daitas and the Acharyas return to the Deuli Matha where they personally cook and eat havishyanna. After lunch they return to the Maha Mangala temple, where they solemnly deliver a letter to Goddess Maha Mangala asking for guidance in their search. Finally they sit inside the temple, and settle there for the night. At midnight the Goddess comes to them in a dream and gives directions. The next morning the party splits into four groups consisting of equal number of Daitas, Acharyas, Visvakarmas and Karanas; each group goes to search for one particular tree in the indicated area. During the entire period all the members of the groups are required to keep a clean mind and only eat havisyanna (a simple rice and dal dish cooked without salt, spices or oil).
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 08:05:52 +0000
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