The idol of lord Narayan Gosain at Singhapur near Rasulpur in Jajpur district is kept underwater, except for three days in a year.
People in large numbers gather on these three days to have a glimpse of the god. The unique annual ceremony, known as Singhapur Yatra, has been a practice here for more than four centuries. The idol of lord Narayan Gosain remains in a pond near the temple, Madhutirtha Kshetra, dedicated to Him.
like every year, the idol was brought out this year on the Pana Sankranti day on Sunday for three days, and on the fourth day the idol would again be immersed in the pond.
Why is the idol kept underwaterIJ There is some history involved in the episode. In the 16th century, Muslim invader Kalapahada, after destroying numerous temples and Hindu idols in the State, reached this region. The then King of Madhupurgarh, to save the idol from Kalapahad, hid it in the pond.
But people and the King were unhappy as the idol remained underwater. A few days later, lord Narayan Gosain appeared in the dream of the King and asked him to take the idol out of the pond and worship and then keep it back safely.
This happened during the MahaVisuba Sankranti or Pana Sankranti period. Since then, annually the idol is taken out of the pond on the Pana Sankranti day and worshiped for three days.
This year, the deity was worshipped with gaiety and grandeur on Sunday after a large number of devotees fished out the idol from the pond.
lakhs of devotees fromacross the State thronged Singhapur to offer prayers to their beloved lord at Madhutirtha Kshetra. According to the tradition, the King of Madhupurgarh first comes and offers prayers to the lord on the bank of the pond as Narayan Gosain is the presiding deity of the king.
After the King’s puja and prayer, thousands of devotees take part in the ceremony. Since 2007, the coroneted Queen of Madhupurgarh, Rani Aparna Dhir Singh, has been offering puja to lord Narayan Gosain.