Jagannath travels West once more.

Oriya Community does Jagannath Murti Sthapana at Hindu Temple, Adelphi MD on April 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2007

As the warmth of the evening began to engulf us, we rushed about excitedly getting the temple ready for the weekend. Friday, April 20^th evening was like in India before a wedding. As I put up the flower baskets and pipili lamps from the air conditioning vents, the puja hall was already beginning to look festive. The photo frames went up next and finally the big paintings were hoisted up on the card board boxes that were wrapped in red velvet fabric.

The archway for the niche where the Lords would be placed was beginning to stand up bedecked with flowers. I was thinking we were doing a good job. The men joined in with us, lifting heavy tables and screwing nuts and bolts, cutting strings and hanging wood work.

Art works of KaLiya daLana and Kanchi Bijaya (exhibited at temple, photographs taken at home)

Outside the old temple, in the beautiful balmy weather, the first day’s puja was going on under the auspices of Pitambar Sarangi from NJ with Rajguru from Puri:

1.Kartaa Prayaschita: Here the performing priest is considered to be purified.

2.SaaLa Prayaschita: SaaLa refers to the place where Jagyan and puja are to be performed. The place where the Homa is to be performed is purified.

3.Ankura-ropan: Germination of seeds. In this puja Saraswati, Laxmi and Parvati are worshiped with the idea of having them conceive the eternal children.

4. Dhaanya-dhibas: The idols lie buried in preparation under 7 grains. The grains here signify a mother’s womb.

While all this was going on, the kids were having a fun time running in and out of the two temples. No one was ordering them about and neither were they scared of strangers just like in an Indian festival.

As the decoration work came to a close later in the evening, volunteers gathered in the old temple to eat Palao, Daalma, Tomato khatta and sweets. The Lords meanwhile stayed put under the grains, empowering themselves to face the challenges of the days to come-- for running the world!

We returned home late in the night with much excitement about the coming days.

Day 2:

Saturday morning as we reached the old temple, I could hear a lot of activity. I joined hands with the women to do Muruja on the designated tables. The priests were preparing the KaLasas for JaLa jatra and also continuing their worship to the Sun God and Go Maata with Surya Pooja and Dhenu Pooja.

Soon there were 21 ladies or more wearing identical saris ready for the JaLa jatra. There was much fun and laughter in the dressing room as we tried and matched accessories with our saris. We were each handed a copper KaLasa and a coconut draped with a red thread with a beautiful flower atop it. To the sounds of counches and bells, mrudanga and jhanja all of us (lucky) women lined up on the street to fetch the sacred water to bathe the Lords. It was a beautiful feeling as we walked down the driveway to the water tap, the KaLasas and the coconuts resting on our heads. Each one of us filled our KaLasas at the fountain and to the sounds of Hari Bola we entered the new temple puja hall. Each KaLasa was lined up before the niche and the priests did puja to sanctify the water. After the purification, we lined up again to take the water back to the old temple and saved them for the afternoon.

Kshetrapal Pooja, Naba Graha Pooja (Nine Grahas in Hindu pantheon), Digpal Pooja towards the ten ‘Digas’ that is East, West, North, South, Agni, Vayu, Nairut, Aishan, Urddha and Addha were done in addition to offering BaLi towards all these directions.

This was followed by Astadasha Matrugana Pooja. Just like in every auspicious occasion like a wedding or a thread ceremony these 18 goddesses known as the Astha-MatrugaNa were worshipped.

Acharya Barana: here the priest (Acharya) was entrusted to do the rest of the pooja.

ToraNa Puja and Sthambha Puja were also performed to sanctify the Torana as well as the pillar.

Baishnabagni Sthapan: This Homa kunda is considered to be as for Visnu and Vaishnavi together. This puja initiates Agni in the Kunda ia a specific way.
(Similar to Baishnaba-agni there is Saibagni).

NetronmiLana (Netra-unmiLana): Here the deities were taken out of the Dhaanya-dhibhaas. They are imagined to be being born. Using a golden needle their eyes are opened!

MahAsnAna: The newly born deities are given a bath. The Lords were brought outside from the grain box and placed on a table. Under the table there was a smaller khaTuli. On it were placed Radha Mohana. There was a big vessel which contained the sacred water that we had collected for their ablutions from the JaLa jatra. In another another large vessel was placed a big mirror. As each one of us poured water over the mirror the Chaturdha Murti (Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana) took a virtual bath while the statues of Radha Mohana got a real bath.

The Lords were then taken inside for the priests to communicate with them. Soon they grew into Balya Rupa. Some of us peeped in to get a vision of the little Gods. They sat like little babies with colored zari clothes draped over their heads.

Sayan , Needra kaLas Sthapan: Here the deities were led to sleep as they were tired.

Nyasa: Communication with the God. In this process the Acharya communicates with the God. This is done secretly.

Day 3:

1.Sala Abahita Devata Puja: All Gods and Goddesses were worshiped again.

2.Homa: Gayatri Homa, Patal Nrusingha Homa and Mantra Homa

3.Nyasa: Here the priest communicates with God.

4.Jeeba Nyasa: or Prana Pratistha

5.Kusmanda BaLi: This is the traditional Pani Kakharu (gourd) Bali for the deities.

6.Pindika Sanskar and Nyasa: The place inside the new temple where deities would sit was purified.

7.Jantra Sthapana: Each God and Goddess has a Jantra. It can be related to the PraNa (life) of the God. It is hidden behind the Pindika—the stage where the Lords would sit.

In the old temple, there was kirtan and bhajan while the ladies got together to do ALati to the Chaturdah murti. All of us draped our heads with saris and cried our hearts out as we joined hands to circle the Deepa around the statues of the Lords of the Universe, Sri Jagannath, Balabdara and Devi Subhadra.

The women and men then lined up to carry the Lords, the Sudarshana and Nila Madhaba on their heads. To the shouts of Hari Bola and Jagannath Swami Nayan Path Gaami, the Pahandi Bijaya began. The Lords swayed to the mrudanga and jhanja while the great pilpili umbrellas fluttered over their heads to shield them from the sun. There was much dancing and crying, just like in India. The feeling of holding the creator over your own head was unanimously overwhelming.

The Lords were taken inside the new temple and they drew a screen before the statues. The singers started to sing the Jagannatha Ashtakam while the priests got the Lords ready for their positions in the temple and the women got together to make numerous garlands. Meanwhile Mahaprasad was prepared in a special new kitchen with special new cooking utensils and stove and it was served to the Lords just as it is done in the Puri temple.

At the end of a long wait, the screen dropped to the floor and to the shouts of Hari Bola, we gazed stunned at the Murtis, resplendent in the colors and hues. Their dazzling faces filled up the room with a light and excitement of its own. I wiped tears of joy and contentment. The Hindu temple priest another Pitamabar Ji, took up the microphone and in his mellifluous north Indian tone sang “Jagannatha Swagatam, Baladeba Swagatam, Subhadra ji Swagatam, Swagatam Suswagatam”. The enchanted atmosphere crackled with the intensity of the Hindu spirit.

While Poornahuti (the last part of the Homa) and SaaLa Abahita Devata Bisarjan (bidding farewell to the Lords) was completed towards the end of the day at the old temple, to several rounds of bhajans, kirtans and orissi dances, Alati began in the new temple. As each one of us held the ‘thaLi’ of 21 Deepas and worshiped our dear Lords, someone invited the Americans to join in. As the fair skinned men and women took turns circling the Deepa around the Lords with as much fervor and devotion as every Indian present there, I wept with joy that our Jagannath was indeed casteless, creedless—he belonged to the Universe.