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| Women tug Goddess Subhadra’s chariot in Baripada on Friday. Telegraph picture |
The quaint town of Baripada was gearing up for its own rath yatra even as the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings reached Gundicha temple in Puri on Friday. Held over three days, rath yatra here is famed for its “feminist” flavour.
For the past 37 years, women devotees have been pulling Goddess Subhadra’s chariot exclusively, which symbolises the region’s respect for women. This concept was introduced in 1975 by the district administration of Mayurbhanj during the celebration of the first International Women’s Year.
Lipika, a homemaker, said rath yatra has always been a special occasion in her life since school days. “The movement that started here is a hit in almost all places where Subhadra’s chariot is tugged only by women. It reflects the empowerment of women,” she said.
Bibhudatta Das, a local resident of Deula Sahi here, said the chariots in most places are pulled just after the pahandi bije (when idols are carried out of the temple to their mounts) rituals, but in Baripada, it is different.
“On the first day, only the pahandi ceremony is conducted and the following day, Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja is pulled till the Gundicha temple here and Goddess Subhadra’s Debadalana is tugged halfway. On the third day, Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha covers the entire distance,” he said.
Legend has it that Baidyanath Bhanja, the erstwhile ruler of the Bhanja dynasty of Mayurbhanj, who was a contemporary of the first Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, fell ill on his way to Puri.
Lord Jagannath appeared in his dream and asked him to arrange for a rath yatra at Baripada and build a temple for him.
After reaching Baripada, Baidyanath regained health and ordered construction of the temple. Thus the Bada (big) Jagannath temple was built during 1575-1580 AD. Later, the Banthia (dwarf) Jagannath temple was also built here by Srinath Bhanja during 1863-1868. Two separate chariot festivals are held every year in Baripada.