Kartika Brata at Puri
Kartika is the holiest of all the months in the Hindu lunar calendar and includes many religious events such as ‘Habisha’, ‘Baluka Puja’, ‘Panchuka’, ‘Kartika Purnima’, ‘Boita Bandana’, and the like. The month of Kartika generally overlaps with the English months of October and November. For Odias, this month is the most awaited month of the year, especially for widows and women.
The whole month is observed as Kartika Brata and some important rituals observed in the month are partial fasting and reading Kartika Mahatmya from Padma Purana. Many pilgrims (especially widows and women) congregate in Puri to serve Lord Jagannath and perform their Kartika Brata.
According to Hindus, a person who undertakes Kartika Brata will get happiness in life as this is believed to be the most favorite month for both of the Supreme Gods, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. The most meritorious day of this month is the full moon day or Kartika Purnima.
Why Kartika One Should Recognize
- The month of Kartik is under the Dakshinayana period, which is most advantageous for prayer, puja, and auspicious rituals
- As per Vedas, Vishnuji sleeps on Ashadha Ekadashi and wakes up on Karthika Shukla Ekadashi
- Legend has it that during Kartika, Shiva, and Vishnu come to Earth in the guise of mortals
- Dreadful demon Tripurasura was slain by Lord Shiva thereby ensuring the world’s peace during Kartika month.
- The holy river Ganga intertwines all other rivers that are on her route in the month of Kartika.
- Scientifically speaking, in Kartika month, due to close to sunrise the Sun enlarges the water with magnetic power from the Earth. It could be for this reason that the Kartika Snana happens at dawn during this month’s auspicious days.
Those devotees who follow Kartika Brata take a bath in the early morning-hours before dawn, start the day by worshipping in Lord Jagannath Temple at the Morning Mangal Arati, and take food only once in the afternoon. They call the afternoon food ‘Habisha’, and those who complete the Kartika Brata are known as ‘Habisiali’.
This month-long period, they live onward the Mahaprasada given in the Jagannath temple or prepare their own Habisha food consisting of allowed vegetables and lentils. Those observing Kartika Brata abstain from many vegetables, including brinjals, sweet potatoes, different types of gourds, certain pulses, and other leafy vegetables, during this month. Another important rite of the month is ‘Baluka-puja’, in which devotees worship the holy Tulasi or Basil in the shape of the image of Lord Jagannath.
The last five days of Kartika month are orthodox, called ‘Panchuka’, wherein large numbers of devotees visit Puri and Lord Jagannath daily. To assist the Habisialis in having the Darshan of the Lords, the daily rituals in Jagannath Temple administration are rescheduled during the festivities. The Lords Jagannath, Balabhadr, Goddess Subhadra, and Lord Sudarshana are dressed in five separate Veshas every day in Panchuka.
Five Different Veshas of Lord Jagannath during Panchuka
Kartika Brata is to be completed on the day of Kartika Purnima. This is the last day of both the month of Kartika and Panchuka. Both the full and new moon days of Kartika are considered auspicious. Kartika Amavasya, the day of the new moon of Kartika, is celebrated as Deepavali or Diwali. Kartika Purnima, the day of the full moon of Kartika, is observed as Deva Diwali, which is the day when Gods celebrate the victory of good over evil.
Devotees take sacred baths in the Pancha Tirtha of Puri and pay a visit to the temple of Lord Jagannath on the day of Kartika Purnima. This, two important events are here to follow:
- Birth of Matasya Avatar, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu
- Birth of Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva
- Birth of Vrinda, the personified form of the Tulasi tree
Another ceremony that takes place on Kartika Purnima morning is ‘Boita Bandana’. In Odia, ‘Boita’ means ‘boat’. This recalls the maritime glory of Odisha. In the past, Odisha sea traders would go to faraway islands such as Java, Sumatra, and Ceylon to do trade by boat. The women of the sea traders community bid them farewell before they began their expedition.
The days are gone, but the memories are still vivid. To commemorate this previous history, pilgrims now float little handcrafted boats constructed of cork, colored paper, and the root of a banana tree in surrounding water bodies. According to tradition, devotees loaded their homemade boats with ceremonial goods such as camphor, ghee candles, betel leaves, and flowers, and sent.
According to tradition, devotees prepared their handcrafted boats with ritual goods such as camphor, ghee candles, betel leaves, and flowers before sending them into the sea with their prayers. This is called a Boita Bandana. It was a magnificent sight to see all of these small and beautiful boats, complete with lights, flowers, and other tributes, sailing into the sea and being swallowed up by the massive waves. Thousands of devotees arrived at Puri sea beach early morning (before sunrise) to float their boats in the water and enjoy the gorgeous sunrise on Kartika Purnima.
