Kankanasikhari: The Lilakshetra (Playground) of Paramabrahma Shri Jagannath

During the 18 attacks by Mughal forces (and other rulers) on the Shri Jagannath Temple, Mahaprabhu (the Great Lord) left the Ratnasinghasan (Jewelled Throne) 21 times and enacted his divine play (Lila) in various places. Among these, He graced (Bijé Karithile) this area (Kshetra) in 1731 AD. Since Mahaprabhu accepted the Kankana fruit as Bhoga (sacred offering) here, even though the Kankana fruit is thorny, it has been included in the Mahaprasad (consecrated food) since that day.

Duration of stay at Kankana Sikhari – 4 months

Since 2016, Shri Shri Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb has gifted a wheel from the 2015 Nabakalebara Nandighosha chariot to the villagers of Nairi, to be worshipped in memory of Mahaprabhu’s arrival (visit).

In the history of the last 452 years concerning Paramabrahma Shri Jagannath and his eternal abode, the Srimandir, due to frequent attacks by Yavana (foreign/non-Hindu) commanders and invaders (Bidharmi – those of other faiths), the Shri Bigrahas (sacred idols) have been relocated multiple times from the Srimandir via waterways to several secret locations within Odisha. Between 1568 AD and 1735 AD, as a result of severe attacks on the Srimandir by Yavana commanders and Subedars (governors) like Kalapahada, Kalyanmalla, Ahmad Beg, Hasim Khan, Mirza Khurum, Ekram Khan, Muhammad Taki Khan, Kesho Das Maru, etc., the Chaturdhamurti (the four main deities) were secretly enshrined in areas such as Gadakokala, Kapileswarpur, Kankanasikhari Kuda (islet), Nairi’s Harihareswar Mandap, Marada, Chilika, the Gopal temple of Khordhagada, Mahishanasi in Chilika, Chharubaigada, Gabapadar in Banapur, Bada Hantuada, Andharimahima, Gadamanitiri in Khordha, etc. Although daily Seva-Puja (service and worship) was conducted in utmost secrecy, for security reasons, the famous Gundicha Yatra (Rath Yatra/Chariot Festival) of the Mahaprabhus was not celebrated for a cumulative period totalling roughly 32 years across these disruptions. A detailed description regarding this is provided below:

• 1568 AD: Due to Kalapahada’s attack on the Srimandir and Shri Bigrahas, the Chaturdha Bigrahas were hidden underground (Patali) at a place called Chhapalli near Chilika. From there, Kalapahada took the Shri Bigrahas on elephant back and attempted to burn them on the banks of the Ganga River. Bishara Mohanty collected the Brahma Padartha (sacred core substance) and kept it secretly at Kujangagada, where worship was conducted. Rath Yatra was not held for 9 long years, from 1568 AD to 1577 AD.

• 1601 AD: Attack on Srimandir by Mirza Khurum. The idols stayed at the Panchamukhi Gosani temple in Kapileswarpur Shasan village, about 13/14 km from Srikhetra. After the Dola Yatra was performed there, they were moved to Dobandha Pentha on the Bhargavi River and stayed on a Chapa (float/boat structure) for 8 months. As a result, Rath Yatra was not held for one year.

• 1607 AD: Attack on Puri and Srimandir by Subedar Hasim Khan. At that time, King Purusottama Deb of the Bhoi dynasty had ascended the throne of Khordha and was residing in the Khordhagada palace. The deities were moved from Srimandir and installed (Bijé) in the Gopaljiu temple located in front of Khordhagada. Consequently, Rath Yatra was not held for one year. After a year’s stay, the deities returned to the Srimandir via Bahuda Bijé (return journey) and were re-installed on the Ratna Singhasan in 1608 AD.

• 1611 AD: Barbaric attack on Srimandir by Kalyanmalla. The deities were moved via waterway to Chakanasi or Mahishanasi in Chilika. Rath Yatra was not held for one year.

• 1617 AD: Second attack on Srimandir by Kalyanmalla, and the deities were moved to Gurubaigada in Chilika. Rath Yatra was not held for one year.

• 1621 AD: Attack on Srimandir by Ahmad Beg, the then Subedar of Odisha. The deities were moved to Andharigada in the Mal (hilly) region of Banapur. From there, only the Brahma Padartha was secretly moved to Gadamanitiri village. The Chaturdhamurti idols were reconstructed there, and the Brahma Padartha was installed. As a result, Rath Yatra was stopped for two years.

• 1692 AD: During Aurangzeb’s time, Ekram Khan, the Subedar of Barabati district (likely referring to the Cuttack province), attacked Srimandir. The deities were first kept behind the Bimala Temple, then stayed for a short period at Gadakokai village near Chilika, and from there, via Chilika, resided at Bada Hantuada village in Banapur. There are two opinions regarding the duration of this stay. The first view is that the Lords stayed here from 1692 to 1699. According to the second view, they were worshipped here for 15 long years, from 1692 to 1707 AD. Out of these 15 years, Mahaprabhu’s Rath Yatra was not held for 13 years.

• 1731 AD: Severe attack on Srimandir by the ruthless Muhammad Taki Khan. The deities were first moved to Kankanasikhari Kuda in Chilika, then to Harishwar Mandap in Nairi, and subsequently stayed and were worshipped at Chikili, near the Chakadimibiri hill in Khallikote. During this time, Rath Yatra was not held for 1 year.

• 1733 AD: Taki Khan’s second attack on Srimandir. The deities were first moved to Harishwar Mandap in Nairi, then via Khallikote to the Marada temple near Hatibari hill, close to Athagarh Polsara. They remained secretly enshrined there for over 2 years and 4 months. Although Seva-Puja continued, the Rath Yatra was not held. Therefore, Mahaprabhu’s Rath Yatra was stopped for 3 long years: 1733, 1734, and 1735. After the deities returned to Srimandir in May 1736, the Rath Yatra was celebrated with great pomp and grandeur that year, according to historical accounts.

Therefore, although the Rathotsav (chariot festival) of the Mahaprabhus has been celebrated continuously from 1736 till date, it is heard that during the British Raj, in some years, it took 3 or 4 days for the chariots of Shri Gundicha Yatra to be pulled and reach the Shri Gundicha Temple.

Jai Shri Jagannath 🙏