By Mrutyunjay Satpathy, OP
A unique Pahandi Bije tradition is observed during Rath Yatra at Chhalia Hill in Subarnapur district where the deities are ceremonially carried 50 metres down the hill before being placed on their chariots.
According to Madala Panji and local tradition, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were shifted to Chhalia Hill during Raktabahu’s invasion of Shreekshetra. The deities are believed to have remained in confinement there for 144 years in what is known as the ‘Patali Lila’, giving the site immense religious significance.
Since 2011, idols provided by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration in Puri have been worshipped at the site. Rath Yatra has since been celebrated in accordance with the rituals observed in Puri.
The highlight of the festival is the Pahandi Bije, when servitors carry the deities nearly 50 metres down the hillside amid chants of traditional Pahandi hymns. The procession, set against the picturesque backdrop of Chhalia Hill, draws large numbers of devotees every year.
Similarly, Devi Subhadra’s Debadalana chariot is pulled exclusively by women, while the ceremonial Chhera Pahanra is performed by the village ‘gauntia’, preserving a centuries-old local tradition.