Daru of Goddess Subhadra declared
The first Daru declared was of Lord Sudarshana .The daru of Lord Sudarshana was indentified and declared by the administration at Gadakuthunia , Near Balakati of Khurda district.(Near Chausathi Jogini Temple) . The 2nd Holy neem tree “Daru” declared was of Lord Balabhadra . The 2nd Daru was identified at Kanakpur , Sarala Pitha , Jagatsinghpur ..The holy tree has been identified first by Shree Jagannath Temple Administration. The holy tree has all the identification marks – Sankha , Chakra , Gada , Padma and Snake (Sarpa) engraved to it. The devotees from different areas have gathered and are able to have darshan of daru from a distance. As per rituals , the holy daru will be transported by a hand drawn cart (Sagada) made up of Banyan and tamarind tree . The Daru of Goddess Subhadra was identified and declared by the administration at Adhanga , Biridi block – Jagatsinghpur district . The Brahma Daru of Lord Jagananth will be announced soon.
Discover more of Lord Jagannath’s Nabakalebara 2015 : Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3 | Image 4 | Image 5
About Nabakalebara : Nabakalebara literally means “New Body” is an ancient ritual associated with most of the Lord Jagannath Temples when the Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by a new set of Idols. This usually occurs every 12 – 19 years when a year which has two months (Adhika masa) of Ashadha as per the Hindu Calendar and that year is auspicious for conducting the ceremony.The Deities are made from a special type of Neem wood known as Daru Bramha.Last ceremony was done in the year 1996 . It is to be noted that the deities made of stone or metal need not be changed unless damaged, but the wooden deities are to be changed within specific gap of years and the supreme power must be installed from the old one to the new one, by secret rituals.
The neem tree is not an ordinary Neem tree which will be used to make the deities . Certain well defined criterias must be satisfied by the tree before it is labelled a Daru Bramha fit for deities making.Locating the four holy trees requires divine intervention. As per long standing tradition the Priests of the Lord Jagannath Temple (Puri) worship Maa Mangala at the Kakatpur Mangala Temple. It is said the Goddess appears to them in their dreams revealing the location of the holy trees .