OdishaLIVE Bureau
The fifth day from Rath Yatrais known as the Hera Panchami
While the trinity of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra are enjoying a sojourn at the Adapa Mandapa of Gundicha Temple, goddess Mahalakshmi is appalled at Lord Jagannath for not taking her with him. The anger leads Mahalakshmi to damage a part of Lord Jagannath’s chariot Nandighosh. This symbolic expression of anger takes place as a ritual on Hera Panchami.
The ritual is observed during the period of Rath Yatra in the Grand Jagannath Temple of Puri. It is known as a ritual of Goddess Lakshmi. The fifth day from Rath Yatra i.e. fifth day in bright fortnight of Ashadha is known as the Hera Panchami.
During Ratha Yatra, lord Jagannath comes out on a divine outing with his elder brother Sri Balabhadra and sister Devi 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 happy, the Lord agrees to her request by offering her ‘agyan mala’ (a garland symbolising 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. Then the goddess hides 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. This unique ritual is enjoyed by lakhs of devotees of Lord Jagannath.
