Bada Odiya Matha

Bada Odiya Matha located in the Baseli Street of Puri town is one of the very important Rajangila Mathas. It was founded in the sixteenth century AD by Atibada Jagannath Das and is affiliated to Utkal Vaishnava sect. The Matha has many important functions to perform in the Jagannath Temple of Puri and takes leading part among other mathas in religious matters. The Bada Odiya Matha which was developed under the patronage of the Gajapati kings of Orissa in memory of the great religious teacher was shining as a bright star in the religious sky up to the earlier years of the present century and was intimately connected with the Sebapuja of the temple. Later on the Matha started declining in importance like all other monasteries on account of many adverse forces which impinged upon these religious institutions.

The Math was placed under the charge of Atibadi Jagannath Das. After the death of Jagannath Das the Matha remained under the charge of the Mahantas who were selected from among the disciples of Jagannath Das. The Bada Odiya Matha is one of the most important Rajangila mathas. Like all other mathas of this category the Bada Odiya Matha has been conferred with Mahanayaka Sari to enjoy many special privileges including the rights to perform the above mentioned special ritual services in the temple.

The custom in the Bada Odiya Matha is that whenever a new Adhikari is appointed in the Matha he applies to the Maharaja of Puri informing him about his appointment with the request to grant the tying up of the Mahanayaka Sari in his favour. The Matha not only had intimate ritual relationship with the temple but also had equally important close association with the Gajapati Maharajas of Puri. Bada Odiya Matha has similar ritual connections with the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri. One of the special privileges which were sanctioned by the Gajapati Maharaja to this monastery was the supply of Sari and other types of clothes (Khandua) which were used by the Gajapati Maharajas at the time of Abhiseka.

Bada Odiya Matha plays an important role in the promotion of educational and cultural activities and the learning of Sanskritic texts. The heads of other monasteries used to take part in such discussions and in the recitation of Bhagabata. The Matha was taking care of the assembled sadhus and scholars, feeding them and providing accommodation for their stay on these occasions. But in the present times the income of the Matha has been reduced considerably and as a result the Seba Puja of the Matha and its educational and cultural functions has undergone a decline to a large extent.

There are several buildings in Bada Odiya Matha. In fact it can be said that the complex of Bada Odiya Matha has an expanded structure. On the whole there are about 200 rooms which are present in the compound of the Matha at the headquarters. Twelve rooms have been set apart as the shrine of different deities which are worshipped at the Matha. There are 27 courtyards which cover all these 200 rooms. Each courtyard is used for a specific purpose and they are interconnected with one another.

Some of courtyards in the compound of Bada Odiya Matha are the front courtyard, the courtyard of the Adhikari, the courtyard of the deities, the courtyard of the store room, the inner room courtyard and many others.

The courtyard of the deities comprises shrines of Mahabir, Patitapabana, Baraha, Nrisinha, Navagraha, Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesh, statue of Jagannath Das, statue of Lord Jagannath with eight hands. The room for the Swing festival belongs to this courtyard. Associated with the courtyard are three rooms which are used for worshipping the presiding deity of the Matha, Rasikraj Deva.

The inner room courtyard of the Bada Odiya Matha is of much prominence. The courtyard forms the inner apartment of the Matha. Besides these courtyards, there are many rooms which are used for specific purposes. There are four rooms which are used as library in which many books and palm leaf documents are kept for the use of people who visit the Matha. Four rooms have been set apart for the supervising staff of the Matha to hold office. The Adhikari of the Matha has eight rooms for his own use exclusively.

In the Bada Odiya Matha besides these houses there are other rooms which are used for various purposes. There are 10 rooms which provide accommodation to the Vaishnabas residing in the Math, three rooms for the priests of the Matha, one room for keeping wooden foot wears, four rooms used as places where Bhagabata is recited, eight rooms comprising the kitchen of the Matha, four rooms used as the place where the Bhoga offered to the deities of the Matha are eaten.

In the complex of the Bada Odiya Matha there are three wells. The water of this well is used for various purposes like cooking Bhoga and for cleaning various parts of the Matha. The Bada Odiya Matha also maintains a few houses which are given on rent to the public and the rent which is collected from this source is utilised in works of repair, construction of houses and donation to different institutions.

Festivals of Bada Odiya Matha are many. Most of the rituals and festivals that are performed in the Bada Odiya Matha are associated with the Jagannath Temple of Puri. Certain festivals of Bada Odiya Matha are similar to those of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Besides the festivals, there are several rituals that take place in this monastery. These occasions are also celebrated with festive fervor. This is one of the most important "Rajangila Mathas". This particular matha has been granted special privilege to celebrate the festivals and rituals in the temple. It has been conferred the title of "Mahanayaka` Sari. Festivals, such as, Chandan Jatra, Dola Jatra, Simhasana Marjana, Dussehra and several others are celebrated by the matha.

A number of festivals follow Bada Odiya Matha and each of them has a specific purpose to serve.

Chandan Jatra : This festival is observed for 42 days. During this period the deputy of Lord Jagannath is taken in a decorated palanquin to the Narendra tank where the deity is anointed with sandal wood paste and made to circumambulate over the surface in a decorated boat. The monastery offers three pots of sweet water mixed with sugar and milk at the temple and one pot full of the same sweet water at the tank.

Rukuna Harana : A piece of black sari and necessary ingredients for the ritual bath of the goddess Bimala are offered and Bhog is also offered to her at Jagamohana.

Anasara : According to this ritual the deities are confined over a period of 15 days. During this time four pots of special preparation of food consisting of cheese, banana, sugar-candy and cream are offered daily to the deities. Scented oil is used for Lord Jagannath is supplied by the Matha.

Kanaka Mundel Seba Candua : The clothes which are used for the preparation of a canopy which is fixed overhead of the deities on the "simhasana" and those which are used for the preparation of pillows including cotton are supplied by the Bada Odiya Matha.

Adharapana : Three big pots of the same height as from the ground to the lips of the deities filled in with sweet water mixed with sugar-candy, cream, cheese and banana up to the brim, one for each deity are supplied by the monastery on the day the deities are carried out of the temple and installed on the cars for their journey to Gundichaghara.

Panti Bhoga : On reaching the Gundichaghara the deities are offered Bhoga of various kinds of foods (Panti). Similarly, on the return journey same types of Bhoga are offered by the monastery in the compound of the Gundichaghara.

Chandansarbanga : While the deities are present at Gundichaghara they are anointed with sandalwood paste which is supplied by the monastery. A special Bhog consisting of cooked rice, dal and curry is offered to the deities at the temple during the occasion of the Snana Purnima.

Simhasana Marjana : Before the deities are carried back to the temple at the end of the car festival the Simhasana in the main temple where the deities are car festival the Simhasana in the main temple where the deities are installed is cleaned with water mixed with sandalwood paste, scented oil, etc.

Dol Jatra or Holi : On this occasion the deputy of the Lord Jagannath is carried ceremoniously to the Dolabedi and installed in a wooden structure which is hung on the arch to swing back and forth. This arch is anointed with five seers of til oil which is supplied by the monastery.

Celebration of Bada Odiya Matha : Special Bhoga prepared by the Bada Odiya Matha is offered for three days to the goddess Bimala during this festival. The required quantities of rice and vegetables are supplied by the matha. For this purpose ovens are put into use. For the preparation of rice six ovens are used. Of these chulas or ovens, four are used for the preparation of the Bhoga which are offered to Lord Jagannatha. A separate house is allotted to the Bada Odiya Matha within the temple complex for storing the foodstuffs.