Along with the Nabakalebar of lord Sudarshan, lord Jagannath, lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) here is planning for a Nabakalebar of Goddess lakshmi too this year. “Since some portions of the idol of the Goddess have been damaged, there is a need for a Nabakalabar of the goddess,” said SJTA Chief Administration Suresh Chandra Mohapatra.
He, however, said the SJTA would take a formal decision in this regard after a meeting between Puri Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingh Dev, the Mahajan and Puspalak Nijog, the Daitapati Nijog and the Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha. The Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha, in its report to the SJTA, has recommended a Nabakalebar of Goddess lakshmi as some parts of the idol of the deity have been damaged, Mohapatra said.
However, the process for celebration of Goddess lakshmi’s Nabakalebar has begun even before a formal decision is taken for this. Construction of a Nabakelabar Mandap for Goddess lakshmi, besides the Mandaps for the Nabakelabar of lord Sudarshan, lord Jagannath, lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, has already begun at the Koili Baikuntha in the temple premises.
A new idol of Goddess lakshmi would be made out of the portions of the Daru of Devi Subhadra. It is worth mentioning that there was a proposal for construction of a gold idol of Goddess lakshmi before 1973. Accordingly, an idol of the goddess was made with three kg of gold in 1973. However, the idol is now kept inside the Ratna Bhandara of the temple due to a dispute between the Pujapanda servitors and temple servitors over who would instal it.
In view of the prolonged dispute, an alternate plan has been made by the Shankaracharya of Gobardhan Peeth which is supported by the Gajapati Maharaja. Reliable sources said a team of representatives, with permission from the Gajapati Maharaja, had gone to Adhangagada, where they had a discussion with the Banajaga Daitapatis for construction of a new idol of Goddess lakshmi from portions of the Daru identified for Devi Subhadra.