legend has it that King Purushottam of Puri had desired to marry Princess Padmavati of Kanchi. With the acceptance of the Kanchi King, the marriage was to be solemnied. But the move was not smooth sailing.
On his visit to Odisha for the annual Rath Yatra, the Kanchi King was shocked to find King Purushottam performing Chhera Pahnra (customary sweeping of the chariots’ floors by the Puri king before Rath Yatra). Seething in fury, the king returned to Kanchi and sent a message to Puri that he won’t give his daughter away to a menial who swept floors.
For Purushottam, the rejection of the marriage proposal was not only a personal insult but an abuse of his deities. He sought vengeance by vowing to capture the princess after taking over the kingdom of Kanchi.
He raged a war against Kanchi but was defeated. Desperate, he prayed lord Jagannath for help. The lord appeared in his dream and directed him to wage a new attack. With renewed confidence, Purushottam led his armyto Kanchi. This time, the King of Kanchi was defeated and Purushottam captured the princess. It is said that Purushottam’s army was headed by Balabhadra and Jagannath riding on white and black horses, respectively. This conquest is popularly known as the Kanchi Abhiyan.
In order to materialise his second revenge, Purushottam instructed his minister to find a suitable sweeper for the captive princess to marry. In the next Car Festival, the intelligent minister persuaded the princess of Kanchi to place the wedding garland around the king’s neck at the time of Chhera Pahnra.
Taken aback, Purushottam demanded an answer from the minister, who very humbly explained that he was merely following the king’s order by marrying the princess to the most “eligible” sweeper. Purushottam, falling short of any arguments, accepted Princess Padmavati as his consort.