Hera Panchami

Hera Panchami
Observed by Jagannath Temple
Type Religious
Date Ashadha bright fortnight Panchami
2015 date 22 July (Wednesday)
2016 date 09 July (Saturday)
Related to Jagannath, Laxmi

The Grand JaganatTemple of Puri is famous for its unique ritualistic practices as well as various functions observed throughout the year. Hera Panchami is one such function with a unique ritual during the period of Rath Yatra. It is known as a ritual of Maa Mahalaxmi. The fifth day from Rath Yatra i.e. fifth day in bright fortnight of Ashadha is known as the Hera Panchami.[1][2] During Ratha Yatra, lord Jagannath comes out on a divine outing with his bother Sri Balabhadra and sister Maa Subhadra along with his divine weapon Sri Sudarshana, leaving behind His wife Mahalaxmi. The Goddess expresses her anger for the Lord. She proceeds to the Gundicha Temple, the Adapa Mandapa in a palanquin in the form of a Subarna Mahalaxmi and threatens Him to come back to the temple at the earliest. To make Her pleased, the Lord concedes to Her by offering her agyan mala (a garland of consent). Seeing the Goddess furious, the sevakas close the main door of the Gundicha. Mahalaxmi returns to the main temple through the Nakachana gate. In a unique ritual, the Goddess orders one of her attendants to damage a part of the Nandighosa chariot.This is followed by her hiding behind a tamarind tree outside the Gundicha Temple. After some time, she escapes to her home temple in secrecy, through a separate path way known as Hera Gohri Lane[3] The unique ritual is enjoyed by lakhs of devotees of Lord Jagannath.

History

The rituals of Hera Panchami as an important function of Srimandira finds mention in Skanda Purana. According to the history of the Temple, this "utsav" started during the time of Maharaja Kapilendra Deb. Before his reign, the Hera Panchami function was being observed in a symbolic way with recitation of Mantras.As stated in Madala Panji, Raja Kapilendra Deb substituted this practice with the introduction of an idol of Mahalaxmi mode of gold and making the celebration more realistic.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Hera Panchami – Articles - Jagannath Dham". jagannathdham.com. 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012. It is celebrated on Ashada Shukla Panchami, fifth day in bright fortnight of Ashadha month in Oriya calendar.
  2. ↑ "RITUALS OF CAR FESTIVAL OF PURI". Retrieved June 25, 2012. ‘Hera’ means to ‘see’ and ‘Panchami’ means the ‘fifth day’.
  3. ↑ "Hera Panchami". orissadiary.com. 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012. Laxmi sets out in night and visits the Gundicha Temple through Badadanda and returns secretly through the Heragohiri Sahi or street after breaking a piece of wood of Nandigosha Ratha
  4. ↑ Dash, Durgamadhaba. "The Ritual of Herapanchami and Lord Jagannath" (PDF) (April, 2015): 6–10. Retrieved 17 August 2015.

See also

List of festivals observed at Jagannatha Temple, Puri

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