Srimandir means the abode of Mahalakshmi. She is the principal goddess of the temple where she is worshipped as Maya Shakti (the power of illusion) of Lord Jagannath.
Mahalakshmi is not only the cook but also the purveyor of the ‘Mahaprasad’. A devotee visiting the temple has never gone with empty stomach at any point in time.
Among the many functions held in the temple, Hera Panchami is one which is celebrated with great pomp and splendor on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of Asadha which is known as the ritual of Mahalakshmi.
Conjugal affair
The ritual resembles a typical husband-wife relationship where the latter sometimes becomes too possessive of her husband. Small bickering between them over trivial issues is not uncommon in our social life.
An elaborate description on the festival can be found in the Bamadev Samhita. According to Ratha Chakada Pothi found in Puri Odia Mutt, Gajapati Kapileshwar Dev brought reformation in the Hera Panchami rituals. Earlier, it was observed in a symbolic way with recitation of ‘mantras’.
Gajapati Kapileshwar Dev substituted this practice by ordering construction of a golden idol of Mahalakhsmi and celebrated the Hera Panchami with pomp and splendour.
Odia vernacular daily Utkal Deepika had made a mention of the festival held July 15 (Sunday) in its July 28, 1888 edition.
Fuming Laxmi
Mahalakhsmi is left alone in the temple fuming when Lord Jagannath goes out on a sojourn to His birth place Gundicha temple with His siblings leaving her alone in the temple.
She scoffs at this journey. However, as a devoted consort of the Lord she makes up her mind to meet Him in the Gundicha temple. The pangs and feelings of a devoted wife for her husband are reflected in this ritual. Legend has it that she seeks the help of Bimala who advises her to win over the Lord’s heart with captivating words to bring Him back to the temple.
Anger vented out
She undertakes a journey to Gundicha temple in a special palanquin carried by Bimanbadu servitors. She stops by the Nandighosh and breaks a piece of wood as a mark of her anger and retaliation.
The scripture further says that servitors of Mahalakshmi get into a verbal duel with the servitors of Jagannath. She then proceeds to Gundicha to meet Him. As advised by Bimala, she behaves with great affection and tells the Lord how much she missed Him.
The Lord on the other hand affectionately receives her and promises to return to the temple very soon and as a token of love offers a garland. Later, she returns by Hera Gohiri Sahi to the Srimandir
Devoted wife
This is to illustrate the fact that no husband should ever commit a wrong like this. The wife should also on her part behave like a true and devoted life partner and try to understand her husband shorn of emotion. Mahalakshmi, while being too emotional in her behaviour, never transgressed the barrier of ‘Dharma’.
Dr Bhaskar Mishra, a researcher on Jagannath culture, says it is a religious ritual of the temple that establishes the rights of a woman in a household.
Suman Mohanty
