History of Navakalevara Ritual : Shri Jagannath history part 2

The Eternal Mystery Of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath by Srikanta…..
ହେ ମଣିମା
Patali Srikhetra-Kujanga Gada-1568 A.D.
MAHAPRABHU SHREE JAGANNATH (BAPA) IS ABSOLUTE TRUE,
OTHER THAN HIM ARE RELATIVELY TRUE….

This post explores a tumultuous period in Odisha’s history, focusing on how the divine is protected by the devotion of believers, exemplified by the story of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath and his devotee, Bisara Mohanty. It highlights the saying that while Jagannath is the protector of all, he entrusts his own protection to his devotees.

During the mid-16th century, amidst political instability, Odisha faced an invasion by Suleman Quarani, the Nawab of Bengal. His general, the infamous Kalapahad, aimed to destroy the Jagannath temple. Despite the valiant efforts of King Mukund Dev, he was defeated and killed. Foreseeing the danger, the priests of the Jagannath temple partially buried the idol near the seashore of Kujang.

Here enters Bisara Mohanty, a deeply devoted individual often mistaken for a madman. When Kalapahad burned Jagannath’s idol, believing it to contain the indestructible “Brahma,” Bisara Mohanty, present at the site, collected the Brahma from the ashes. He hid it within his Mrudanga (a musical instrument) used during Naam Sankirtan. Later, instructed by Jagannath in a dream, he entrusted the Brahma to Ananta Narendra Samant, the Raja of Kujanga.

The Raja then had a new deity constructed from Neem wood, placing the Brahma inside, and named it “Kunja-Bihari.” Kujanga became a place of pilgrimage. In 1588 AD, Raja Ramachandra Dev of Khurdha brought the deity to Puri with great ceremony, had another deity constructed around the Brahma, and installed it in the main temple during the Navakalebara ritual. However, Kunja Bihari continues to be worshipped in Garh Kujang, and the deity Ramachandi Devi, initially worshipped by fishermen, remains in a forest near False Point. This account showcases the resilience of faith and the lengths devotees go to protect their beloved deity during times of adversity.