The Explorer of Miracles

Sunday 21 July 2024

Padma Shri Kamala Pujari Maa

When I first met her, I was struck by her simplicity and dazzling smile.

It was 27 May 2017 & the event was the YES We Can Change Agents Awards Function- "Be The Change"-2- "Lesser Known Change Agents of Odisha."

Earlier, Sri Sisir Sahoo Sahoo had spoken highly of "Kamala Maa." She was a Change Agent in Be The Change-1. Her information was published in the in the fist book of change-agents by the Yes We Can team.

Copied Ikat Motifs And Handloom Saree Designs

Ikat is a technique of tie-and-dye of handlooms.

Some Indian states have the Geographical Indication (GI) tags for their own unique and special Ikat.

This includes-

Odisha- Orissa Ikat, Sambalpuri Bandha Saree and Fabrics, Khandua Saree and Fabrics;

Telangana- Pochampally Ikat; Telia Rumal;

Gujarat- Patan Patola

Can you identify this Ikat?

Hati Besha or Gaja Besha

Hati Besha or Gaja Besha or the Gajanana Besha is represented on Snana Purnima as a part of the Snana Jatra tradition.

GAJA or Hati means- "Elephant"
It also signifies Shree Ganesha.

The first four letters of Jagannatha Mahaprabhu- JAGA.

It may be noted that GAJA and JAGA have the same four English letters/alphabets.

The principal servitor of Shree Jagannatha is "Puri Gajapati" i.e. the King of Puri.

Deba Snana Purnima and Snana Jatra

Deba Snana Purnima & Snana Jatra is being celebrated today.

Each year, the English calendar celebration date differs as Snana Jatra is celebrated on the tithi day.

Like the others, Ratha Jatra, Bahuda Jatra, etc., the tithi dates are on different English calendar dates each year.

In the year 2020, on this particular date- June 22, after Mahaprabhu's direction, the Supreme Court of India reconsidered the decision (initially that had ruled out the celebration of Ratha Jatra 2020 owing to Covid); after Mahaprabhu's intervention, Ratha Jatra commenced on June 23, 2020.

This year, Ratha Jatra is on July 7th.

Today- Snana Purnima- is Shree Jagannatha's "appearance day" or birthday.

Witnessing the Snana Jatra is considered very auspicious.

Snana means- Bath

Jatra means- Journey

Jatra also refers to festival

Deities take bath every day, but without having to visit the Snana Bedi or Mandapa within the Shreemandira.

International Day of Yoga 2024

Proud to celebrate the 10th International Day of Yoga today- on June 21st.

The 2024 Theme is: "Yoga for Self and Society."

Yoga represents:
- the harmony of mind and body,
- the balance between thought and action, &
- the unity of restraint and fulfillment.

Snana Jatra or Snana Purnima and Gajanana Besha or Hati Besha

Deba Snana Purnima or Snana Purnima is on June 22nd this year.

It is also called the Jyeshtha Purnima as it is in the "Jyeshtha" month.

It is also called Snana Jatra. The name has the term "jatra," which means "journey."

Snana Jatra means the journey to take a bath.

It is no ordinary journey or bath as this is related to the sibling deities - Shree Jagannatha, Shree Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. As we know, everything about them is grand.

They are moved from their Ratna bedi to the Snana Mandapa in a Pahandi just like during Ratha Jatra. The difference is that this movement - Snana Jatra - is within the Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri.

During Ratha Jatra, the deities move out of the Shreemandira.

I had written a previous post on Snana Purnima in 2022-

"Snana Yatra and Gajanan Besha"-

https://www.anitaexplorer.com/2022/06/snana-yatra-and-gajanan-besha.html

I have felt guilty (and still feel guilty) about using words such as "Yatra" instead of "Jatra" in the past.

Using the local word "Jatra" will be true to the Odia spelling and pronunciation.

Today, while searching online, I found that most articles and reports—including my own blog post mentioned above — have used "Snana Yatra" as the name.

I used "Yatra" in the name as it is more widely known, and people would find my Snana Jatra post if and when they searched.

Raja Parba - Festival of Odisha That Celebrates Menstruation, Womanhood, Fertility and Life

Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Basumati Snana🙏🏽
Basumati means- Goddess Earth.
Snana means- Bath.
After the Raja festival, Goddess Earth is bathed and worshipped today.

Bhudebi Maa - Mother Goddess Earth

Bathing and Holy Dip in Culture

Bathing is very important in our culture. It signifies purification.

Devotees bathe and wear good clothes before visiting any sacred site or performing Puja. It is God's grace that some extremely cold places, like Badrinath, have natural hot water, facilitating the

bathing and sanitation of the devotees.

Devotees visit religious sites to take holy dips e.g. for Ganga Dussehra (it was yesterday), many devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga.