Berhampur: While the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are pulled on roads all over the world during Rath Yatra every year, the sibling deities of Kankana Sikhari temple in Odisha’s Khurda district travel in a chariot boat.
Like every year, thousands of devotees thronged the temple located on an island in Chilika lake near Nairi village under Balugaon tehsil to participate in the Rath Yatra this time also.
As per the tradition, the deities were carried to a chariot boat and then taken around the temple for seven times. Finally, the deities reached Gundicha temple situated at the end of the village. The Lords will again travel around the temple on chariot-boat and return to their abode during Bahuda Yatra.
This unique Rath Yatra has been celebrated for the last 10 years. The Lords are seated on a boat decorated as a chariot after big brought in ‘Pahandi’ (grand procession) as in practice in other temples on the day of Rath Yatra.
The devotees tie the chariot boat with their boats and pull it on the water amidst beating of conch shells, beating of cymbals, blowing of trumpet and singing of ‘kirtan’ with ‘Jai Jagannath’ resounding in the air.
As per legend, Kankana Kuda (now Kankana Sikhari) provided a safe abode to the idols of idols of Jagannath temple in Puri in 1731.
Towards the end of the 17th century, when Ramachandra Deva became the Gajapati King of Odisha, the Jagannath temple at Puri was repeatedly attacked by Mughal king Taqi Khan. The idols of the Jagannath temple had to be taken out of the Srimandir and were hidden in the areas surrounding Chilka Lake which extended to the present-day districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam.
Some of the places where the Gods were hidden are Marada, Khurda Garh, Chikiti, Tikabali, Bankuda Kuda, Athagarh Patna and Nairi among others. Kankana Kuda was then full of trees and animals. After four months, the idols were transported to Dolamandap Sahi of Nairi village in Chilka.
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