Puri: Gambling though illegal is a tradition and none other than Lord Jagannath and his consort Devi Mahalaxmi participate in a ceremonial dice game also known as ‘Kauri Khela’ on the occasion of Kumar Purnima and Gajalaxmi Puja.
During the ritual at Jagannath Temple here, servitors escort Devi Mahalaxmi to the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th century shrine where the game is played atop the Ratnasimhasan. Here, the servitors play the game using ‘Kauri’ (small conch cells) on behalf of the Lord Jagannath and Mahalaxmi.
In the final game, Lord Jagannath concedes defeat and the servitors of Mahalaxmi imprison the representing image of Lord Jagannath-Neela Madhav and escort him to the Mahalaxmi Temple for a week.
During the week-long punishment, the Lord remains tied to the throne of Mahalaxmi.
Devotees and the residents too indulge in gambling all through the night as they believe that it would bring them wealth and prosperity.
Special arrangements were made by the Puri temple administration to observe Laxmi Puja here on Sunday.
Meanwhile, lakhs of devotees flocked to the Pilgrim Town to observe the month-long Kartik Brata, beginning Monday.
