The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Wednesday morning formally announced the neem tree identified in Kharipadai village under Jagatsinghpur district’s Raghunathpur block as the Daru for making of lord Jagannath’s idol, ending all assumptions. Devotees welcomed the move. “The SJTA made official announcement on the letter of Banajaga dalapati Haladhara Dasmohapatra on the identification of the Daru for lord Jagannath on Tuesday night. I came to the site early this morning with senior police officers,” SJTA Chief Administrator Haladhar Dasmohapatra told reporters at Kharipadia, the Daru site.
He said as the Daru site is narrow and situated on the bank of a river, a lot of work has to be done so that devotees don’t difficulties in reaching the spot. “We have to level the land first and create additional space for Sabarapalli and Yajna Mandap. Senior engineers of Energy, RWSS and Works departments have already arrived at the village to carry out necessary works, which would be completed as early as possible,” he added.
Talking about the traffic arrangements and law and order in the area, IG, Central Range, RP Koche said six platoons of police force have already been deployed in the area. If required, more forces would be deployed, he said. The district administration didn’t allow devotees Jagatsinghpur to visit the site on Wednesday following traffic problem.
District Collector Satya Kumar Mallick said devotees were not allowed as the area was filled with water due to heavy rains that occurred on Tuesday night. Four bulldozers were engaged to level the area and barricades were erected around the Daru. A team of Banajaga daitapatis arrived in the village at about 4 PM and identified place for Sabarapalli and Yajna Mandap.
Badagrahi of lord Jagannath Jagannath Swain Mohapatra said the Banajaga daitapatis would arrive at Kharipadia to conduct rituals related to Daru cutting after May 6. “I have been associated with the Nabakalebara two times earlier. But I have never seen the mahadaru of lord Jagannath like this before. Anyone watching this tree would be excited in eternal bliss. You can see a white owl on a branch guarding the Daru. The colour of the Daru is black, which symbolises lord Jagannath. The tree has all the characteristics for making of the lord’s idol,” Mohapatra said.
The tree which would be Daru for lord Jagannath must be black, upright to a height of 7-12 feet and have four main branches. There should a termite mound near the tree with snakes. The tree must have the sign of sankha (conch) and chakra (wheel) on it and must not have any birds’ nest. Besides, the tree should be either near a river bank, funeral ground, a mutt or a temple with Barun and Sahada trees near it, according to Mohpatra.
Rains and heavy wind occurred on Tuesday night seriously hitting rituals at Devi Subhadra Daru in Adhangagada. Though the newly-built Sabarapalli and Yajna Mandap were damaged, the district administration repaired the works by Wednesday evening. The Sagadi of lord Blabhadra Daru, which had come from Maa Sarala pith on Tuesday evening and stayed at Jaipur for the night, resumed its journey towards Puri on Wednesday morning. Thousands of people had gathered at the site to have a glimpse of the Daru, where Daitapatis performed rituals before the Sagadi journey.
