The full moon day in the month of Sravana also known as ‘Sravana Purnima’ marks the birth anniversary of the God of Strength – Lord Balabhadra. This day is also known as ‘Gamha Purnima’ or ‘Jhulana Purnima’. The word Gamha is perhaps derived from the word ‘Gou-mata’. It is the last day of ‘Jhulana Jatra’ which commences on the Sravana Ekadashi Shukla paksha tithi.
The birthday of Lord Balabhadra also coincides with ‘Rakhi Purnima’ popularly known as the ‘Raksha Bandhan’ festival. It is a festival of eternal bond of love celebrated by brothers and sisters across India. And like all brothers and sisters, the three sibling deities; Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra also celebrate this festival, but in their own unique way.
On the day of the festival, after the performance of daily rituals like, bhogamandapa puja (prasad offering), mailam (changing of clothes and floral decoration), mahasnana (bathing ritual), chandana lagi (applying sandalwood paste) and madhyana dhoopa puja (mid-day prasad offering), the three deities are adorned in new attire made from boirani and pata patani cloth. After dressing up in their new attire, Devi Subhadra ties rakhi on the Sribhuja (hand) of Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra. The Patra servitors start making these rakhis after Chitalagi Amavasya.
Four rakhis are made for both Mahaprabhu Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra, to be tied one on each hand. The rakhi which is also known as ‘Pata Rakhi’ is made from ‘Basunga’ pata (a type of silk cloth). The temple administration provides the cloth to the servitors. The Basunga pata is dipped in red, yellow, green and purple colour after which the pata is shredded into threads with the help of a comb. These threads are then arranged and sewed by the servitors in four concentric circular manner with the largest disc on the periphery.
The deities, also adorn ‘Guamala’ (a garland of 54 areca nuts) on this day. Lord Jagannath adorns red and yellow colour guamala whereas Lord Balabhadra’s guamala is green and purple in colour. These guamalas are also made by the Patra servitors. On this auspicious day, all the deities, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, Chakraraja Sudarshan, Bhudevi and Sridevi are adorned with golden ornaments on the Ratnasinghasana.
After rakhi celebration, Balabhadra Janma Niti (ritual) takes place at the Markanda Sarovar (Markanda pond) situated in Markanda Ashram outside the Srimandir in Puri.
In the run-up to the celebrations, many rituals take place before Lord Sudarshan is taken out from the temple and taken to the Sarovar so that he becomes the witness to the birth of Lord Balabhadra.
To start with, the Garbagruha (the place where deities sit on the Ratnasinghasana) is cleaned and then ‘Shasti Devi Markanda Puja and Varuna Puja’ is performed in front of Lord Balabhadra.
For Madhyana dhoopa (mid-day prasad), ‘Jatrangi Bhoga’ is brought from ‘rosha ghara’ (kitchen) by the Pujapanda servitors and offered to the deity by performing ‘Sodhasha Upachara niti’ (sixteen processes ritual). The Garbagruha is cleaned again and then the Pujapanda servitors conduct ‘Mangalarpana niti’ before Lord Balabhadra following which ‘Bandapana niti’ (ritualistic greeting) is performed by the Mudirasta, Pati Mahapatra and Puja Panda servitors. Following this Shri Madanmohan, who is the representative image of Lord Balabhadra is brought to the Ratnasinghasana from ‘Dakshini Ghara’. Lord Madanmohan along with goddess Bhudevi and Sridevi is taken to the ‘Jhulana Mandap’ after receiving agyanmala (garland of consent) from Lord Jagannath. ‘Pahandi bije’ (procession) of Lord Sudarshan begins after this ritual. The Palia Khuntia servitors invites the Daitapati servitors to bring Lord Sudarshan from Ratnasinghasana to Jagamohana (assembly hall) and place him in a decorated ‘Chaudola’ (palanquin). Chakra Raja Sudarshan is then adorned with ‘pata patani’ clothes and ‘chula’ fixed with flowers, tulsi leaves and duba provided by Chaangada Mekap and Dayanamaali servitors.
The Chaudola is then brought to ‘Jhulana mundi’ where odiyani alankaar, known as the golden ‘Kamara Patti’ along with golden ‘Harada Mali’ is offered to Lord Sudarshan by the Bhandara Mekap servitors. After the completion of adornment, the Bimanabadu servitors carry Lord Sudarshan to Markanda Sarovar (Markanda Pond) situated in Markanda Ashram. This is the place where Lord Balabhadra’s Janma niti (Lord Balabhadra’s birth ritual) takes place.
The birth ritual begins with the preparation of a shishu pratima (idol of a child) of Lord Balabhadra with clay which is given by the Kumbhara Bisoi servitors. The clay image is made by the Sudha Suara servitors.
The Pujapanda sevaks, then infuse life in the clay idol by chanting mantras. This ritual is known as prana pratistha, which is followed by the ritual of pancha upachara puja, sitala manohi bhoga and bandapana alati conducted by the Pujapanda sevaks. With this, the rituals associated with the birth of Lord Balabhadra come to an end and then the idol is bid adieu by immersing it in the pond.
After the immersion of the idol, Lord Sudarshan takes leave and proceeds to visit the other three ashrams – Angira Ashram, Kandu Ashram and Bhrugu Ashram after which he returns to Srikshetra. The day concludes with the performance of the rituals of mahasnana, sandhya dhoopa besha, sandhya alati, bandapana and prasad offering. After the completion of all rituals, Pahuda niti takes place. This auspicious day is observed with great delight and enthusiasm.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Balabhadra is regarded as the incarnation of Sheshnaag, the serpent on which Lord Vishnu rested. He is also considered as Shiva by some historians and philosophers.
‘Devakya Jathare Garbham Shesakhyam Dham Mamakam, Tata Sanni Krushya Rohinya Udare Sanniveshaya’
‘It is mentioned in the Bhagavat that Shesha which is the abode of Lord Krishna (Vishnu), took birth as a human in the form of foetus in the uterus of Devaki. But Goddess Yogamaya extracted the foetus and placed it safely inside the uterus of Rohini, the second wife of Vasudeva. He was thus named Sankarsana after his birth.’
Sri Krishna who is the reincarnation of Lord Vishu and Balaram are together known as Hari Hara. And this is why perhaps Lord Balaram is also known as Shiva. As Shiva, he helps Lord Vishnu in every yuga by taking the reincarnation together with him. Be it, Laxman with Ram in Tretaya Yuga, Balaram with Krishna in Dwapara Yuga or Balabhadra with Mahaprabhu Jagannath in Kali Yuga.
Lord Balabhadra is also believed to be the lord of agriculture; the father of the farmer community. It is believed that he was the one who introduced farming to the mankind. His weapon is plough (langala). And this is why the farmers worship their ploughs on this day. He is known by several other names – Revati Ramana, Talanka, Musali, Hali, Kamapala, Langali, Rohineya, Nilambara, Sirapani, Haladhara, Halayudha, Bala, Balarama, Baladeva to name a few.
namaste halagraha namaste musalayudha I
namaste revati-kanta namaste bhakta-vatsala II
namaste balinam srestha namaste dharani-dhara I
pralambara namas te tu ehi mam krsna-purvaja II
