Trinity travel by chariot-boat in Chilka

Berhampur: When the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are pulled on roads all over the world during Rath Yatra every year, the trinity of Kankana Sikhari near Nairi village under Balugaon tehsil of Khurda travel by chariot-boat.

The deities travelled around the temple at Kankana Sikhari by chariot-boat over the Chilka lake for seven times and then reached Gundicha temple situated at the end of the village. The trinity would again travel around the temple by chariot-boat and return to their abode. Thousands of devotees thronged this island in Chilka to pay their obeisance to the trinity.

This is considered as a unique Rath Yatra and has been celebrated for the last 10 years. There is no need for ropes to drag the chariot. The trinity was installed on a boat decorated as a chariot after ‘Goti Pahandi’. The devotees tie the boat chariot with their boats and pull it on the water amidst beating of ‘Jhanja’, blowing trumpet and ‘kirtan’ on the accompanied boats. The religious fervour reaches a crescendo with the air reverberating with ‘Jai Jagannath.’ Kankana Kuda (now Kankana Sikhari), an island in Chilka, provided a safe abode to the trinity of Puri 293 years ago in 1731. Towards the end of the 17th century, when Ramachandra Deva became the Gajapati King of Odisha, the Jagannath temple at Puri was repeatedly attacked by the Mughal Taqi Khan.

The idols of the Jagannath temple had to be taken out of the Srimandir and, as per legend, the deities were hidden in the areas surrounding Chilka lake, which extended to the present-day Odisha districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam.

Some of the places where the gods were hidden are Marada, Khurda Garh, Chikiti, Tikabali, Bankuda Kuda, Athagarh Patna and Nairi among others. Kankana Kuda was then full of trees and animals. After four months, the idols were transported to Dolamandap Sahi of Nairi village in Chilka. An ancient temple, Harihara Dev Mandira, is believed to have given shelter to Lord Jagannath for around a year or so in the latter part of the 17th century.

The idols were installed on three circular stones which are known as ‘Bije Chaka.’ Three circular pedestals can still be found there. People believe that Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra used to sit there during their exile. Rama Chandra Deva II brought back the idols of Lord Jagannath to the Srimandir in 1733.

Srimandir administrators visited the place in 2007. In 2014, the locals gathered to discuss the restoration of Harihara Dev Temple and protect Kankana Sikhari island.