The Jhulan Yatra of the Jagannath Temple here, which is an annual swing festival of the deities, has begun from Tuesday. Madan Mohan, Sri Devi and Bhu Devi (known as Chalanti Pratima of lord Jagannath, Devi Maha lakshmi and Devi Saraswati) after duly decorated with flowers and Alati Bandapana are taken in a procession by the Sevayats to the specially decorated platform in the Muktimandapa, called the Jhulan Mandap.
There the deities are seated on a swing to be pulled by the Sevayats amid rendition of devotional songs, music and dance in the presence of thousands of devotees. The Yatra will end on August 11 (Monday). The Jhulan Mandap is also having 16 pillars like the Muktimandap, representing 16 Kalas. It is under a pucca roof at a height of 15 feet. It is 40 feet wide and 30 feet in breadth. The roof is having eight statues of women of two -foot height each with Chamara in their hands. The pillars are of 15-foot high and 6-foot in diameter each, thickly coated by lime and coloured (partly black, light blue) with a small gap in its middle decorated with paintings of flowers. The roof of the Jhulan Mandap is the most attractive portion of the whole pendal. It has paintings of hundreds of animals, birds and flowers .The Tazia (fall ) round the roof downwards has beautiful pictures depicting Krishna leela and others thereon. This year, the temple authorities have taken special care to illuminate the whole of the Mandap with colourful lights. The visitors are also thronging the shrine in droves.
The Jhulan Yatra was introduced in the Srimandira by Gajapati Maharaja Prataprudra Deva in the 15th century (1497-1533) under the influence of Chaitanya as per the Madalapanji. The Yatra was being performed in the open Deba Sabha Pendal near Koili Baikuntha north gate for some years . When it was found that rain in the month of Sravan each year destroyed the pendal and its decorations, the venue was subsequently shifted to the present pendal near Muktimandap in the middle of 20th century.
The Jhulan Yatra is also being held in a few local mutts and Ashrams. Though there are more than 160 mutts and hundreds of Ashrams in Puri, this colourful festival is being held in a handful of mutts with entertainment programmes like Gotipua dance and Dashakathia, etc.