“Jai Badi Anukula” Ritual Held in Preparation for Shiva’s Divine Wedding
Kakatpur, 03/06/2024 (Tushar Dixit) – At the famous Shaiva shrine of Shri Shri Ishwaranath Mahadev in Jiunti village under Astaranga block of Puri district, the traditional Jai Badi Anukula ritual was performed on Monday by the married women of the village as part of the preparatory ceremonies for the upcoming divine wedding of Lord Ishwaranath and Goddess Parvati.
On the auspicious occasion, around 9:30 AM, following the ritual bathing (snana marjana) of the deities by the temple priests in the temple premises, seven married women offered seven lamps (deepa), new clothes, and Mahaprasad beautifully arranged in a decorated basket. These offerings were placed near the village deity and worshipped before the Anukula ritual officially commenced.
The main wedding ceremony of the divine couple is scheduled for the 10th of June, followed by a grand city procession (nagar parikrama) on the 11th, as informed by the temple’s head priest, Prafulla Chandra Panda. Akshay Kumar Dash has been selected to perform the role of the groom’s father, while Sarat Chandra Panda will take on the role of the bride’s father.
The entire wedding ceremony will be organized under the supervision of the village’s leading organization, the Gopabandhu Youth Club. All members of the club are enthusiastic about participating in the barat (wedding procession). To make the event even more vibrant and culturally rich, traditional musical instruments like dhol, mohuri, madal, and singha baja will be featured during the celebration.
