Nabakalebara

Nabakalebara is an important festival in the Hindu Odia calendar, observed in the Jagannath Temple, Puri.

It was first organised in 1575 A.D by Bhoi King Ramachandra Deva, his eldest son Padmanava Pattanaika had first performed the Nabakalebera ritual in Barunei fort of Khordhagarh.

[1] Deulakarana and Tadhaukarana subdivisions of Karanas play an important part in this ritual as representatives of Gajapati Raja, they guard the temple premises with the special sword (Pata Khanda) of Lord Jagannath in their hands.

[4][5][6] Nabakalebara is a combination of two Odia words: naba (new) and kalebara (body),[7] translated as "the change of one's physical form."

Made from the neem tree, musk, sandalwood and other combinations, they undergo a change before the adhika ashadha ends.

Agama shastras followed in other parts of India for Vishnu worship, such as the Vaikhanasas, also prescribe the change of wooden deities under a specific astrological combination.

The new wooden idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are welcomed to the temple in celebration.

The old idols are ritually buried in Koili Baikuntha in accordance with century-old Odia scriptures.

The trees are ritually cut down, and the logs transported in small carts to the temple in Puri, where they are carved into deities.

The procedure for the transformation of images was mentioned in Sanskrit manuscripts, written on palm leaves and kept in the temple.

The trees used for the images of his brother and sister are lighter in color, since his siblings are fair in complexion.

A hermitage and a temple to Shiva must be nearby, and natural impressions of a conch-shell and chakra (wheel) must be on the trunk.

After the tree is felled, sections are selected for carving and the remainder is buried; the location is then considered sacred.

Carving of the images begins with the three oldest of the nine main wood carvers working on Jagannath.

Devotional songs are sung by devadasis, accompanied by temple musicians, outside the koili vaikuntha during the carving period; shlokas from the Vedas are chanted by Brahmin priests.

Sweet-smelling flower garlands and new garments are given to the new deities, food is offered, and a puja is performed; devotees can again enter the temple.

Nabakalebara attracts millions of people from around the world to Puri, and is one of India's largest festivals.