The Goddess Women

From The Deccan Herald June 29, 2008 All the Goddess women Women pulling the chariot of Devi Subhadra during the Car festival at Jagannath temple is a sight to cherish. Sarojini Nayak says this could be an indication to changing times. If the sight of hundreds of women draped in identical sarees pulling the chariot of Devi Subhadra during the Car festival organised by the Jagannath temple at Cuttack last year surprised spectators, it is only an indication of the changing times and trends. The Rath Yatra - perhaps one of the most sacred festivals of Orissa - has more or less been confined to men (women devotees were mere spectators), and this significant development speaks volumes for the changing status of women. And, the beginning of this trend can be traced to a small town in Orissa. While the temple town of Puri hosts the biggest Rath Yatra, the second biggest festival is the one held in Baripada, a small town in Northern Orissa. Here, not only is the festival different but the most unique feature is that the chariot of goddess Subhadra is pulled only by women, thus adding more colour and festivities to the celebrations. Tale behind the ritual There is an interesting story as to how this trend began. Several decades ago, sometime during the mid-50s, a woman devotee was severely injured while trying to pull one of the chariots. A Good Samaritan, who rescued her from being trampled to death, was moved by the plight of the women devotees who restrained from participating in the ritual because of the huge crowds. Because, according to religious beliefs, one is blessed and freed from one’s sins by pulling the Lord’s chariot. This do-gooder requested the district administration and made a proposal of giving the prerogative of pulling goddess Subhadra’s chariot exclusively to women. The proposal was accepted and since then, women happily pulled the chariot. This trend was discontinued for a few years and revived in 1975. However, according to another version, the trend began in 1975 when the country was in the grip of an emergency. Then, Orissa had a woman chief minister (late Nandini Satpathy) and the district officials implemented this novel trend to make the ‘right’ political move. Whatever may be the motive, this trend not only continues in Baripada, but has now spread to other places in Orissa. The Rath yatra in Baripada is a three day affair and in several ways different from the one held in Puri and other places. For instance, all the three chariots are not pulled on the same day. On the first day, only pahandi takes place. It is a ritual when the deities are brought out of the temple in a procession and installed on the chariots. On the second day, Lord Balabhadra’s chariot is pulled to the Gundicha temple, while Subhadra’s chariot is drawn and left half way. On the third day, first Subhadra’s chariot is pulled to the Gundicha temple and lastly, Jagannath’s chariot is drawn. The same procedure is followed on the return car festival popularly known as Bahuda Yatra. However, in all other places, the three chariots are pulled to their destination on the same day. There are two interesting legends regarding the origin of the Jagannath temple in Baripada, which is in the Mayurbhanj district of Orissa. According to one legend, the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj was an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath and had made it a habit to attend the festival at Puri every year. It so happened that once he fell ill while on his way to Puri and was highly disappointed that he could not make his annual pilgrimage. Lord Jagannath appeared to him in his dreams and directed him to return to Baripada, build a temple and organise the car festival there. The temple is said to have been built sometime between 1575-1580 AD following this divine direction. Legends galore However another legend has it that the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj was not accorded a reception befitting his royal status during his visit to Puri for the Rath yatra. He was so enraged that he resolved to build a Jagannath temple in his own kingdom and hold the car festival there. In fact, he even ordered that the chariots would be identical to those in Puri. But on the advice of the royal priests, he reduced the height of the chariots, so as not to draw the wrath of Lord Jagannath. The Baripada rath yatra has a distinct mood. It is indeed a spectacular sight to see young girls and women tugging at the ropes of Subhadra’s chariot. Many of them come to Baripada every year from different parts of Orissa and adjoining West Bengal. Residents of Baripada take great pride in this variation – women pulling chariot – and say that this trend signifies the emancipation of women and depicts their active participation in social affairs. No wonder, women elsewhere are fast catching up with this trend and adding their own ideas to make it more colourful and vibrant.