The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.102

Language: English

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**Daily-Service :**—The daily round of service for the worship of the divinity is a large one. It begins at early dawn with the ringing of bells to rouse the divinity from his slumbers. The ringing is done from the Porch, and the temple-door is then opened. The ceremonials which follow are called *Dhūpas*, and for the whole day they are twenty-two in number. The 1st is *Darpaṇa*. It consists in moving about in various ways a many-wicked lamp in front of the stone. The ordinary name for this ceremony is Ārati. (2) The second, in the vernacular of the district, is called *Danta-kāṣṭha-lāgi*; it is celebrated at half-past 6 A. M., when a stick, about a foot long and smashed at one end to form a brush, is moved about in front of the stone, to represent symbolically the act of brushing the teeth of the divinity. Some water is then poured out, and a napkin turned about to complete the symbolical ablution of the face. (3) At 7 A.M. is performed the third ceremony called the *Snāna* or *Jala-lāgi*. It consists in washing the stone, first with several pitchers of water, then successively with curds, honey, ghi, sugar and milk, and then with water again to carry off the preceding articles. The stone is lastly wiped dry and the ceremony of bathing is over. (4) Dressing follows the bath, and this is called fourth *Dhūpa*, or *Vastraparidhāna*—Uriyā *lugāpidhān*. This is simple enough ;

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it is accomplished by washing the cloth that had been used the [77] day before, and then placing it along the seam between the block and the chlorite rim, that is technically between the liṅgam and the penate. (5) The breakfast next follows, and it comprises parched grain (*khoi*), sweetmeats made of sugar and rasped cocoanut kernel, curds and cocoanuts. It is diffrently called *Ballabha Bhoga*, *Bālya Bhoga*, or *Bāla Bhoga*, ‘the juvenile repast’. It is offered at 8 A. M. (6) The sixth offering takes place at 10 A.M. It is called *Sakāla Bhoga*—the regular breakfast—at which two kinds of *Khichri*, made respectively of *muṅg* and *kalāyi* pulse, fritters, cakes and sweetmeats are the principal articles offered. (7) The next meal-time is at 11 A.M. when rice, *dāl* and various kinds of curry are brought into the Bhoga Maṇḍapa for the entertainment of the god. This is followed by another Ballabha Bhoga or juvenile repast consisting of cakes of rice-meal, cocoanut kernel, cheese and molasses. This was introduced by Rājā Vīra Keśarī in A. C. 800 (9) The ninth is the principal meal of the day. It is offered at midday, whence its name *Murdhanya Bhoga*. It comprises rice *dāl*, curry, pastry, *malpūyā* cakes, cream, and sherbats of different kinds. Immediately after these offerings, the priest in attendance turns a many-lighted lamp in front of the god, and performs a regular *ārati* with a variety of incenses.

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Immediately after this the doors of the sancturay are closed, and the divinity is supposed to be at rest, enjoying his afternoon siesta. (10) The sleep lasts till 4 P. M., when he is roused by the dulcet sound of music, and turning of lights or *ārati*. (11) A lunch after this follows, and it is called *Terāpetā Bhoga*. At this lunch nothing is admissible except a kind of sweetmeat called *jilebi*. (12) An afternoon bath comes on next, and it is in all its details the counterpart of what occurs at the *Jala-lāgi* of the morning. (13) A dressing follows this, when clothes, sandal paste, *bel* leaf, *tulasi* leaf, flowers and ornaments are placed on the stone. This is called *Sandhyā Dhūpa-beśa*. (14) The exertion of dressing calls for another lunch (*Sandhyā bhoga*) when *matichur* and *gajā* (sweetmeats), curds, stale rice preserved in water, sugar sauces made of white pumpkin, cocoanut, ghi and mollasses, and betel leaf are brought to the presence of the god; an *ārati* concludes the ceremony. The *ārati* is performed just at candle-light, and immediately after, (15) another bathing follows; and then (16) a dressing called *Baḍasingāra* or "full dress", when yellow cloth, flowers, leaves and perfumes are placed on the god. (17) For the lunch in connexion with this dressing curds, stale rice (*pāntā bhāt*), fried vegetables, cakes and puddings, *kākrā* and *khāchim* (*mohan bhoga*) are the principal articles recommended.

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(18) An hour after comes on the private supper called *Nijaghara khei*, when sweetmeats, stale rice and curds are brought into the sanctum. These articles are given away to the servants of the temple, while all the articles offered at the other *bhogas* are sold to the credit of the temple fund. The servants also sell what they get as their due. (19) After supper a ceremony is gone through called *Puṣpāñjali sevā* when five masks made of an alloy of the 8 principal metals, and a *domaru*, a musical instrument shaped like an hour-glass, are placed on a stool in the centre of the Nāt Mandir, plantains and sweetmeats offered to them, and then they are taken into the sanctum, and placed on the rim surrounding the sacred stone. (21) After this an *ārati* is performed, and then arrangements are made for (22) the *Śayana* or sleep of the divinity. For this purpose a bedstead is brought into the sanctum, and betel, drinking water, flowers and spices are placed near it, and, after announcing in respectful terms that Pārvatī awaits in the chamber her lord's pleasure, the door is closed for the night.