LAXMI PUJA CELEBRATION AT DHENKANAL , ODISHA , INDIA
India is a land of many cultures. It has a distinct place in the world for its’ art and culture. Many common festivals are observed in different states of our country. Laxmi puja festival is one among those which is observed in Dhenkanal city of Odisha. One can see cultural activities such as song, dance, drama, palla and daskathia etc being observed right from rural villages to urban areas in Dhenkanal throughout the year. Gajalaxmi puja has reserved its’ best and special place among all such activities.
One time very small and simple Gajalaxmi puja of Dhenkanal town has flourished to such an extent that it has been a puja festival of the masses. It continues for about twelve days at a stretch attracting crowd and businessmen towards sweet, food, drink and daily use articles. Now, the Dhenkanal Mahotsava ( Grand festival of Dhenkanal ) and Pallishree fair have become main centres of attraction. By and by Gajalaxmi puja festival has extended its boundaries and popularity to nearby areas namely Indupur, Bowlpur, Pingua, Bhapur, Chchadesh etc.
History says that the common Laxmi puja was first inaugurated/ begun at Hanuman sahi (Mahabir Bazar) in 1923 A.D. by the efforts of Late Braja Pattnaik with the assistance of Gatikrushna Pattnaik of Bebartta Sahi ( Meena Bazar ). During 1925 Late Sri G. Pattnaik separately observed Laxmi puja festival with the help of local residents. Laxmi puja continued in both places for the next 12 years and were restrained. Similarly Laxmi puja was carried out in Jawahar Chowk for 3 years from 1940 to 1942 and was stopped thereafter.
Second phase of Laxmi puja was observed with much pomp and festivity, with light and gate decorations in 1934 in Meena Bazar of Dhenkanal town. Mahapatra Banchhanidhi Sahoo, Natabar Debta, Harmohan Pattnaik, Jagabandhu Rout, Sarangadhar Mohapatra were the founders. The list below shows the year / founder members etc relating to Laxmi puja festival being first observed in different places in Dhenkanal and in the vicinity : - ( The File Is Attached Below )
In 1965 silver filigree was first used in the background setting of the Laxmi idol in Meena Bazar. The same was reconstructed in 2004. Every year on 12th day of Bhadra Sukla fortnight ( Sunia ) rituals for Laxmi puja begin. The members of puja committee fetch holy mud from Badajoda river bed for construction of Laxmi Idol and idols of side gods and goddesses on the auspicious day of Kumar purnima. Worship of goddess Laxmi starts and two week long ceremony begins. Mother Laxmi took birth from the churning of the ocean on this day. Mother Laxmi is the harbinger of happiness to mankind and bestower of wealth, prosperity, children and remover of poverty.
Sridhar Swami, during his temporary sojourn at Kapilash in Dhenkanal, wrote his famous commentaries on Srimad Bhagabat, Bishnu Puran, Gita etc. He was worshiping his prime God, the idol of Narasingh on whose chest a small image of Goddess Laxmi has been inscribed. So it is presumed that worship of Laxmi and Narasingh deities was prevalent in Dhenkanal and its’ surroundings during 14th century. The Sidhha Balaram temple was established in Dhenkanal in 1947. On its’ bejeweled throne, we find the bearded idols of Balaram, Jagannath, along with the idols of Subhadra, Rukmini ( Laxmi ) and Madanmohan. In addition to the worship of Goddess Laxmi in the Balaram temple, people of Dhenkanal District are observing Manabasa osha on every thursday in the month of Margasira every year.
The immersion festival was being conducted during night time from 1945 to 1952. Due to unavoidable circumstances, the festival was being done during day time. Time passed and number of idols increased. So the immersion festival started in the morning at 9:00 A.M. and continued up to midnight.
One time very small and simple Gajalaxmi puja of Dhenkanal town has flourished to such an extent that it has been a puja festival of the masses. It continues for about twelve days at a stretch attracting crowd and businessmen towards sweet, food, drink and daily use articles. Now, the Dhenkanal Mahotsava ( Grand festival of Dhenkanal ) and Pallishree fair have become main centres of attraction. By and by Gajalaxmi puja festival has extended its boundaries and popularity to nearby areas namely Indupur, Bowlpur, Pingua, Bhapur, Chchadesh etc.
History says that the common Laxmi puja was first inaugurated/ begun at Hanuman sahi (Mahabir Bazar) in 1923 A.D. by the efforts of Late Braja Pattnaik with the assistance of Gatikrushna Pattnaik of Bebartta Sahi ( Meena Bazar ). During 1925 Late Sri G. Pattnaik separately observed Laxmi puja festival with the help of local residents. Laxmi puja continued in both places for the next 12 years and were restrained. Similarly Laxmi puja was carried out in Jawahar Chowk for 3 years from 1940 to 1942 and was stopped thereafter.
Second phase of Laxmi puja was observed with much pomp and festivity, with light and gate decorations in 1934 in Meena Bazar of Dhenkanal town. Mahapatra Banchhanidhi Sahoo, Natabar Debta, Harmohan Pattnaik, Jagabandhu Rout, Sarangadhar Mohapatra were the founders. The list below shows the year / founder members etc relating to Laxmi puja festival being first observed in different places in Dhenkanal and in the vicinity : - ( The File Is Attached Below )
In 1965 silver filigree was first used in the background setting of the Laxmi idol in Meena Bazar. The same was reconstructed in 2004. Every year on 12th day of Bhadra Sukla fortnight ( Sunia ) rituals for Laxmi puja begin. The members of puja committee fetch holy mud from Badajoda river bed for construction of Laxmi Idol and idols of side gods and goddesses on the auspicious day of Kumar purnima. Worship of goddess Laxmi starts and two week long ceremony begins. Mother Laxmi took birth from the churning of the ocean on this day. Mother Laxmi is the harbinger of happiness to mankind and bestower of wealth, prosperity, children and remover of poverty.
Sridhar Swami, during his temporary sojourn at Kapilash in Dhenkanal, wrote his famous commentaries on Srimad Bhagabat, Bishnu Puran, Gita etc. He was worshiping his prime God, the idol of Narasingh on whose chest a small image of Goddess Laxmi has been inscribed. So it is presumed that worship of Laxmi and Narasingh deities was prevalent in Dhenkanal and its’ surroundings during 14th century. The Sidhha Balaram temple was established in Dhenkanal in 1947. On its’ bejeweled throne, we find the bearded idols of Balaram, Jagannath, along with the idols of Subhadra, Rukmini ( Laxmi ) and Madanmohan. In addition to the worship of Goddess Laxmi in the Balaram temple, people of Dhenkanal District are observing Manabasa osha on every thursday in the month of Margasira every year.
The immersion festival was being conducted during night time from 1945 to 1952. Due to unavoidable circumstances, the festival was being done during day time. Time passed and number of idols increased. So the immersion festival started in the morning at 9:00 A.M. and continued up to midnight.
| Begining of Laxmi puja in different markets (Dhenkanal) |
