The day of ‘Akshaya Tritiya’ is considered to be auspicious for new beginnings like weddings, buying property, making investments, commencement of agricultural works by farmers etc. It is believed that things started on the day of Akshaya Tritiya continue to grow and prosper.
Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be the day of the birth of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is also considered to be the day when Ved Vyasa and Lord Ganesha started writing the Mahabharata.
It marks the beginning of the festivity season in the Jagannath cult. In Odisha, it is the day when Hindus begin their annual construction of chariots for the Puri Rath Yatra festivities.
As per the tradition, the temple servitors perform a special ritual at the Rath Khala (chariot construction yard) and bring Angya Mala/permission garland (garland signifying directive from the deities) seeking his command and place the same on three pieces of woods of ‘dhaura katha’. The chief carpenters of the three chariots symbolically touch the gold axe on the three wooden logs after which they would shape the logs. Interestingly, more than 100 carpenters are engaged for making the three gigantic chariots, 45-feet-high Nandighosha for Lord Jagannath, 44-feet-high Taladhwaja for Balabhadra and 43-feet-high Debadalana for Subhadra.
On the holy day of Akshaya Tritiya, Puri Dham and Srimandir Admin are all set to organise the famous Chandan Yatra also known as Gandhalepana Yatra, which is the longest festival observed at Jagannath Temple in Puri. It continues for 42 days and observed in two parts: ‘Bahara Chandana’ and ‘Bhitara Chandana’.
Lord Jagannath, the representative deity Madan Mohan, along with consorts Sridevi, Bhudevi, the Pancha Mahadevs (also known as Pancha Pandavas), namely Lord Yameswar, Lord Kapal Mochan, Lord Lokanath, Lord Markandeya and Lord Nilakanth, take a trip on a chapa (a traditional boat) in the holy Narendra pond as part of Lord’s water sport called chapa khela.
This is the significance of the auspicious “Akshya Tritiya”.
Devasnana Purnima is a ritualistic bathing ceremony of the deities of the Jagannath Temple, including Lord Shri Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Shri Balabhadra.
The idols of the deities are taken out from the Jagannath temple and brought to the ‘Snana Bedi’ or bathing altar in a procession called ‘Pahandi.’
It marks the beginning of the festivity season in the Jagannath cult. In Odisha, it is the day when Hindus begin their annual construction of chariots for the Puri Rath Yatra festivities.
After completion of the bathing ceremony, the deities are decked up in ‘Sada Besha’. Later in the day, Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra adorn the Hathi Besha (a form of Lord Ganesha). While Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra are dressed like elephants, Goddess Subhadra dons lotus flower Besha.
After this royal bath ceremony, the three Deities fall ill with fever and remain out of public view for 15 days. This period, known as the ‘Anasara’ or ‘Anavasara’ period, begins with Jyestha Purnima and ends with Ashadha Amavasya. During this Anasara or Anabasara period, devotees are not allowed to see the idols of the Lords.
The deities—Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath—are placed in the ‘Anasara Pindi’ where they are offered only fruits and water mixed with cheese and ‘Dasamula’ (herbal) medicines. Meanwhile, the Daitapati Sevayats, the priests responsible for holy rituals, perform secret rituals to cure them. On the eighth day or ‘Ashtami,’ a special oil called ‘Phuluri Tela’ is applied to the wooden idols to protect them.
During the Anasara period, the doors of the sanctum sanctorum are closed and devotees are not allowed darshan. The traditional Pattachitra paintings of the three deities, known as “Patti Dian,” are worshipped as substitutes for the original idols, which depict Shri Ananta Narayana in place of Lord Jagannath, Shri Ananta Vasudeva in place of Lord Balabhadra, and Maa Bhubaneshwari in place of Devi Subhadra.
It is believed that on Dashami, the deities regain their balance and strength. The following day, the deities are painted in a new colour to safeguard the wooden idol from damage. The Anasara ritual serves as an annual maintenance ritual for the wooden idols since they are changed only once in twelve years during another grand festival known as ‘Naba Kalebara.’
The use of all-organic, all-natural oils and preservatives is part of the ancient traditions of this twelfth-century shrine.
On Amavasya, the fifteenth day, the deities are adorned in Nabajoubana Besha. During the Nabajoubana Darshan, devotees are allowed to see all three deities.
These traditions mark the end of the annual quarantine of the deities, signifying their recovery from all illness and their return to normal health and beauty. The deities are then prepared for the grand Rath Yatra.
'Netrotsava' - the Festival for the Eyes, originally celebrated at Puri Jagannath Temple in India is a sacred ritual performed before Rath Yatra. After Snana Purnima - the royal bath of the deities, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are believed to fall ill with fever and do not return to their pedestal in the main temple. The Deities are kept in a special room called the 'Ratna Bedi' inside the temple. The deities stay away from public view for a period of 15 days. During all these days the daily rites of the temple remain suspended.
Due to the sacred bath with 108 pitchers of water, the colours painted on the deities fade out. During the fifteen day period, they are repainted with fresh coats of new colors. On the 16th day, the Deities after complete recuperation become ready for public darshan.
The festival of this first appearance of Lord Jagannath for his devotees is called 'Netrotsava' (festival for the eyes) or 'Nava Yauvanotsava' (festival of the ever-fresh and always youthful Lord).
Everyone in the Holy Purushottama Dhama were unhappy for a fortnight because they could not see the Deity of Lord Jagannatha. The glorious festival of Netrotsava was the life and soul of the devotees, who suffered pangs of separation from the Supreme, during this period of isolation of the Lordships.