Bhubaneswar, July 30: Winning over wife Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Jagannath calmed her fury in the manabhanjana ritual today, after which the deity was taken inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath temple marking the conclusion of the Nabakalebar rath yatra festival.

Bringing out the human side of the divine, the rituals of the niladri bije or returning of deities to the temple were witnessed by thousands of devotees. The tradition of the argument between Lord Jagannath and wife Lakshmi was the highlight of the event. After Lord Sudarshan, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra were taken inside the sanctum, it was Lord Jagannath's turn. But the representative idol of Goddess Lakshmi, Subrana Mahalakshmi blocked his way and demanded an explanation for not taking her along for the vacation at Gundicha temple during rath yatra.

"By debating with Lord Jagannath on why she was not taken along during the holiday of the siblings, Goddess Lakshmi sets an example for women that they have the right to question and demand when it is appropriate. She does not quietly sit down over the injustice shown towards her since she had every right to be on the vacation with her spouse," said Surya Narayan Rath Sharma, a researcher on the Jagannath culture.

"The beauty of the Jagannath culture lies in these traditions that reflect the human society even in the divine family of the temple," he said.

The manabhanjana was the second time during the rath yatra festival when the upset goddess expressed her anger over missing out on the trip. On hera panchami, the fifth day after rath yatra, the goddess paid a visit to the Gundicha temple to request Lord Jagannath to return to his abode. But while leaving at night, she attacked His chariot and broke a small part of it.

"The argument between the divine couple used to be even more beautiful when devdasis would accompany the goddess and sing beautiful heart-touching ancient hymns written particularly to put across her point. But now that there are no more devadasis after the death of Sashimani Devi earlier this year, the beautiful songs of argument from both Lord Jagannath and Goddess Lakshmi's sides are missing," said Rath Sharma.

At the end of the debate, Lord Jagannath offered rasagullas to calm Goddess Lakshmi after which the wife's heart melted and she welcomed Him back. The rituals started around 8pm and concluded by midnight.