Post News Network
Puri, March 28: Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Saturday announced the names of Bishwabasu, Bidyapati and four Upadalapatis for Banajaga Yatra scheduled to commence Sunday.
Senior Daita servitor Binayak Das Mahapatra has been named the Bishwabasu and Narasingh Pati Mahapatra as Bidyapati. Besides, senior Daita servitors Durga Das Mahapatra, Ganesh Das Mahapatra, Chandrasekhar Das Mahapatra and Ramkrushna Das Mahapatra have been named Upadalapatis for the yatra. Earlier, the SJTA had chosen Haladhar Das Mahapatra as the Dalapati for the ritual.
Binayak Das Mahapatra thanked the temple administration and the members of Daita Niyog for his nomination as the Bishwabasu. “My father late Raj Kishore Das Mahapatra had performed the duty of Bishwabasu in 1969, 1977 and 1996 Nabakalebar festivals. Now, it is my turn to perform the same,” he said.
According to the Srimandir tradition, Bishwabasu has to receive the holy betel nuts from the royal priest of the Puri Gajapati at the palace during the commencement of Banajaga Yatra. The trees identified for the holy timber (daru), which will be collected for making the idols, will be felled after Bishwabasu and Bidyapati touch them with gold and silver axes respectively.
The SJTA and the district administration have made all arrangements for the Banajaga Yatra, which is considered as the first ritual of the mega festival. A team of 120 servitors is scheduled to participate in the Banajaga Yatra.
Temple administration sources said Mangala Alati ritual would be performed at 4 am Sunday and Madhyahna Dhoopa ritual at 12.30 pm. The Banajaga Yatra ritual will begin anytime after the completion of other rituals by
5.10 pm.
According to sources, the culture department and the district administration have around 100 Sankirtan Mandalis to accompany the Banajaga Yatra team. The team will reach Deuli mutt at Kakatpur April 2 following which a special puja would be performed at Mangala temple the next day.
Security personnel, a medical team and senior officials of the temple administration will accompany the servitors’ team during the ritual, sources said.
