CUTTING AND TRANSPORTATION OF DARU (WOOD) FOR NEW DEITIES

After matching of all prerequisites, the following rituals are performed by the Daru expedition team.

• Sudarshan is installed under the tree in order to ward off evil
• Purification of the areas done by cleaning the bushes and shrubs. After sweeping the place is purified by smearing with cow dung and clay
• Bath of the Brahmin and Acharya is done for purification
• Homa (fire sacrifice) will be done under the tree
• By sprinkling sacrificial water, ritual bath of the tree will be done. Then flowers and sandal paste shall be offered followed by wrapping of the tree with new cloth
• The tree is worshipped after Agyan Mala (permission) of the deity is placed on His or Her Daru
• A pavilion is constructed on the western side of the Neem tree having thatched roof with four gates. Under a canopy, a fire altar will be there. The pavilion is known as Yagyansala. Pati Mohapatra, Acharya and Brahmin will stay in the Yagyansala
• Huts constructed on the southern side is known as Sabarpalli shall be occupied by the Daitas
• The tree is to be protected by Patala Nrusingha Mantra
• The spirits or Bhutas or Brahma Rakshasas are worshipped to leave the tree by Brahmin priests if there is any
• To know the final decision of the deities, the members in the Yagnyasala spell the verses of 'Swapnavati' 108 times before sleeping

After completion of all the required rituals the cutting of the tree can start. First only the golden axe can touch the tree, then silver and after that iron axe can finish the work. 108 names of the Lord are chanted continuously.

Sagadi (small cart) with four wheels is made for transpotation of Daru to Jagannath Temple Puri. The body of the Sagadi is made of 'Kendu' wood. It's wheels are made of 'Bara' wood. It's exle is made of 'Termerind' wood. The Darus are ritualistically bathed and surrounded with Gita Govinda Khandua Patta before transportation. A special kind of Patta Basunga (a special type of sliken rope) was prepared to knot the Daru in the Sagadi. As popularly believed, it is not permissible to look at uncovered Daru because viewing a Daru in that state is considered as a great sin. The cart loaded with Daru is pulled all the way by the devotees of the villages it passes through.

At the entrance of Puri town there is a temple known as Alam Chandi Temple . The carts loaded with the sacred Daru (wooden logs) are brought into Puri via the road in front of Alam Chandi temple. It is believed that Alam Chandi is supreme to sanctify the logs so that no harm is done at the time of shaping them to form the figures of the three deities. As per the tradition, after getting agnyamala (permission) from Goddess Alam Chandi the carts with Sacred wood enters into Puri and pulled all the way to reach the Jagannath Temple. The wood enters the Jagannath temple through its northen gate before the scheduled date of Annual Bathing Ceremony of the Deities (Devasnana Purnima). As per the tradition, the Holy logs enter the temple via northen gate in the following order

• Lord Sudarshana
• Lord Balabhadra
• Goddess Subhadra
• Lord Jagannath

The woods are kept in the Daru Griha (temporary shed) inside of the Koili Baikuntha, situated in the northwest corner of the Temple. It is the place where the old deities will be buried and the new ones made. The sacred Daru are kept here in the same carts in which they are fetched to the Temple. On the day of Snana Purnima, the old deities receive the ceremonial bath on Snana Mandapa and the Darus (Sacred Logs) also receive the ritual bath along with the old deities on the same day. One the next day of Snana Purnima, according to the pre-defined procedure, they are finally moved to the Nirmana Mandapa after special Puja offered by Pati Mahapatra.

Following table provides the details of the places from where the sacred Neem trees cut for the Deities in previous Navakalevaras.

Year - 1912 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Fatigarh Puri Goddess Subhadra Polar Mahar, Udaypur Puri Lord Balabhadra Niali Hat Cuttack Lord Jagannath Prataprudrapur Nuashai - Year - 1931 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Deuli Matha, Kakatpur Puri Goddess Subhadra Niali Cuttack Lord Balabhadra Sattyikpur - Lord Jagannath Gabapara - Year - 1950 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Dalaipur Cuttack Goddess Subhadra Nuahat Puri Lord Balabhadra Kodadasha, Banamalipur Puri Lord Jagannath Delang, Kanpur Cuttack Year - 1969 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Balara, Banamalipur Puri Goddess Subhadra Kanhupur, Govindpur Cuttack Lord Balabhadra Bhakarsahi, Balipatna Puri Lord Jagannath Champajhar Puri Year - 1977 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Singh Sahi, Niali Cuttack Goddess Subhadra Shore of Luna River Puri Lord Balabhadra Shore of Kandala River Cuttack Lord Jagannath Raichakradharpur Puri Year - 1996 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Ranimal, Niali Cuttack Goddess Subhadra Maldagram, Astaranga Puri Lord Balabhadra Ramakrushnapur, Salepur Cuttack Lord Jagannath Dadhimacha Gadia Khordha Year - 2015 Deity Place of Daru District Lord Sudarshana Gadakantunia, Balakati Khorda Goddess Subhadra Adhanga Block, Biridi Jagatsinghpur Lord Balabhadra Jhankada, Maa Sarala Pitha, Tirtol Jagatsinghpur Lord Jagannath Khari Padia Jagatsinghpur

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