The Munda peoples of eastern and central parts of the Indian subcontinent are any of several Munda speaking ethno-linguistic groups of Austro-asiatic language family, formerly also known as Kolarian , and spoken by about nine million people.
92-553: The Sora (alternative names and spellings include Saora , Saura , Savara and Sabara ) are a Munda ethnic group from eastern India. They live in southern Odisha and north coastal Andhra Pradesh . The Soras mainly live in Gajapati , Rayagada and Bargarh districts of Odisha. They are also present in Srikakulam , Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts. In the census, however, some Soras are classified under Shabar or Lodha ,
184-558: A chakra in other Vishnu temples. Jagannath iconography, when he is depicted without companions, shows only his face, neither arms nor torso. This form is sometimes called Patita Pavana, or Dadhi Vaman . The murtis of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana Chakra are made of neem wood. Neem wood is chosen because the Bhavishya Purana declares it to be the most auspicious wood from which to make Vishnu murtis . The idol of Jagannatha, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana
276-506: A common ancestors of four to five generations. The Soras' religion is very elaborate and deep rooted. They are animist and believe in large number of deities and ancestral spirits. Dance and music constitute part and parcel of their rich aesthetic life. The Sora family is polygamous . The total household economy revolves around the woman member who is hardworking and who helps her husband in ploughing and harvesting crops in addition to attending household chores exclusively. The Sora people are
368-463: A darshan of the deity and observed fast onto death at Neelagiri. The deity was pleased with the king. Thereafter, the king performed a horse sacrifice and built a magnificent temple for the deity. However, in the last many decades many of the traditional Sora beliefs have been superseded by Christianity that was introduced by missionaries. In many areas the shamanic and animist beliefs are distant memories, and in some areas, particularly around Puttasingh
460-520: A different area; in due course, they return to the original plot. In addition to podu, the Sora also construct irrigated terraces where it is feasible and upon those, they grow rice. Oral Tradition: The Sora community has a rich depository of oral tradition. Their singers are known as Kin Kin mar, and storytellers are known as Katabirmar. They play Ranai- a local fiddle to sing the song. Their priest Buyang spell
552-502: A dwindling jungle tribe with a distinctive shamanic culture. According to an article in Natural History, "a shaman, usually a woman, serves as an intermediary between the two worlds [of the living and the dead]. During a trance, her soul is said to climb down terrifying precipices to the underworld, leaving her body for the dead to use as their vehicle for communication. One by one the spirits speak through her mouth. Mourners crowd around
644-489: A gavancha and the women with saris . They are also sometimes called Lanjia Souras due to their dress pattern of wearing a loin cloth hanging from behind and which could be mistakenly identified as a tail by a stranger. They are endogamous and the clan, although absent, is related to Birinda , which is exogamous . Families are nuclear although joint or extended families are also found. Marriages are made by bride capture, elopement, and by negotiations. The Sora people are
736-512: A later 12th century addition to the Skanda Purana ) of the Skanda Purana , the deity Yama requested Vishnu to disappear from the region of Purushottama Kshetra, dissatisfied with the direct salvation of those who lived in the region. Vishnu agreed to do so. Indradyumna , the king of Avanti , grew interested in venerating the deity Nilamadhava , made of sapphire. He is described to have sent
828-419: A tribal practice that continued when Hindus adopted prior practices and merged them with their Vedic abstractions. The practice of using wood for making murti is unusual, as Hindu texts on the design and construction of images recommend stone or metal. The Daitas are Hindu, but believed to have been the ancient tribe of Sabaras (also spelled Soras ). They continue to have special privileges such as being
920-620: A wooden pillar. It is therefore believed that Jagannath is worshipped as a wooden murti or Daru Brahma with the Shri Narasimha hymn dedicated to the Narasimha Avatar. Every year in the month of Bhadra , Jagannath is dressed and decorated in the form of the Vamana avatar of Vishnu. Jagannath appeared in the form of Rama , another avatar of Vishnu, to Tulsidas , who worshipped him as Rama and called him Raghunath during his visit to Puri in
1012-546: Is Purna Brahman from whom other Avataras like Rama , Krishna, etc., took their birth for lilas in this universe and at the end would merge in the self of Purna Brahman. In the Jagannath tradition, he has the attributes of all the avatars of Krishna/Vishnu. This belief is celebrated by dressing him and worshipping him as different avatars on special occasions. The Puranas relate that the Narasimha Avatar of Vishnu appeared from
SECTION 10
#17328586127301104-409: Is a brightly painted, rough-hewn log of neem wood. The image consists of a square flat head, a pillar that represents his face merging with the chest. The icon lacks a neck, ears, and limbs, is identified by a large circular face symbolizing someone who is anadi (without beginning) and ananta (without end). Within this face are two big symmetric circular eyes with no eyelids, one eye symbolizing
1196-462: Is a carved and decorated wooden stump with large round eyes and a symmetric face, and the idol has a conspicuous absence of hands or legs. The worship procedures, sacraments and rituals associated with Jagannath are syncretic and include rites that are uncommon in Hinduism. Unusually, the icon is made of wood and replaced with a new one at regular intervals. The origin and evolution of Jagannath worship
1288-471: Is a thriving tradition. The existence of these legends, state some scholars such as Stevenson, suggests that Jagannath may have a Buddhist origin. Another evidence that links Jagannath deity to Buddhism is the Ratha-Yatra festival for Jagannath, the stupa-like shape of the temple and a dharmachakra-like discus ( chakra ) at the top of the spire. The major annual procession festival has many features found in
1380-727: Is considered a non-sectarian deity. He is significant regionally in the Indian states of Odisha , Chhattisgarh , West Bengal , Jharkhand , Bihar , Gujarat , Assam , Manipur and Tripura . He is also significant to the Hindus of Bangladesh . The Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha is particularly significant in Vaishnavism, and is regarded as one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites in India. The Jagannath temple
1472-670: Is considered as equivalent to the Hindu metaphysical concepts of Brahman / Para Brahman and Purushottama /Shunya Purusha, wherein he then is the Avatarī, i.e., the cause and equivalence of all avatars and the infinite existence in space and time. According to author Dipti Ray in Prataparudra Deva , the Suryavamsi King of Odisha: In Prataparudradeva's time Odia poets accepted Sarala Dasa 's idea and expressed in their literary works as all
1564-533: Is considered the epitome of Tantric worship. The symmetry in iconography, the use of mandalas and geometric patterns in its rites support the tantric connection proposal. Jagannath is venerated as Bhairava or Shiva , the consort of the goddess Vimala , by Shaivites and Shakta sects. The priests of Jagannath Temple at Puri belong to the Shakta sect, although the Vaishnava sect's influence predominates. As part of
1656-518: Is dedicated to Jagannath. His image, along with the other two associated deities, is ceremoniously brought out of the sacrosanctum ( Garbhagruha ) of his chief temple in Puri ( ଶ୍ରୀ ମନ୍ଦିର , Śrī Mandira ). They are placed in a temple car which is then pulled by numerous volunteers to the Gundicha Temple (located at a distance of nearly 3 km or 1.9 mi). They stay there for eight days, and on
1748-554: Is massive, over 61 metres (200 ft) high in the Nagara architecture style of Hindu temple architecture , and one of the best surviving specimens of Kalinga architecture , namely Odisha art and architecture. It has been one of the major pilgrimage destinations for Hindus since about 800 CE. The annual festival called the Ratha yatra celebrated in June or July every year in eastern states of India
1840-668: Is no distinction of caste inside the Jagganath temple, many day-to-day services (Vidhis) of Lord Jagannatha owe their origin either to Jainism or to Buddhism or the combination of both, the local legends link the idols with aborginal tribes and the daitapatis (servitors) claim to be descendants of the aboriginals. Majority of rituals are based on Oddiyana Tantras which are the refined versions of Mahayana Tantras as well as Shabari Tantras which are evolved from Tantric Buddhism and tribal believes respectively. According to Starza, these practices are also connected to Tantric practices. Buddha
1932-443: Is of Sanskrit origin. Mitsuru Sakitani has suggested that Haplogroup O1b1 , which is common among Austroasiatic-speaking peoples and some other ethnic groups in southern China , and haplogroup O1b2, which is common among today's Japanese and Koreans , may have been bearers of a Yangtze civilization ( Baiyue ). The authors of another study have suggested that haplogroup O1b1 is the major Austroasiatic paternal lineage and O1b2
SECTION 20
#17328586127302024-474: Is re-painted every week in the Jagannatha Temple, Puri. It is replaced with a newly carved image every 12 or 19 years approximately, or more precisely according to the luni-solar Hindu calendar when its month of Asadha occurs twice in the same year. In the Jagannath tradition (Odia Vaishnavism), Jagannath is most frequently identified with an abstract form of Krishna as the supreme deity. Jagannath
2116-416: Is shown "fully anthropomorphised" but with the traditional abstract mask face. The typical icon of Jagannath is unlike other deities found in Hinduism who are predominantly anthropomorphic. However, aniconic forms of Hindu deities are not uncommon. For example, Shiva is often represented in the form of a Shiva linga . In most Jagannath temples in the eastern states of India, and all his major temples such as
2208-402: Is the elder brother Balarama , Jagannath is the younger brother Krishna , and Subhadra is the youngest sister. Balabhadra considered the elder brother of Jagannath is sometimes identified with and worshipped as Shiva . Subhadra now considered Jagannath's sister has also been considered as a deity who used to be Brahma . Finally the fourth deity, Sudarshana Chakra symbolizes the wheel of
2300-403: Is through the medieval era cult of Lakshmi- Narasimha . This hypothesis relies on the unusual flat head, curved mouth and large eyes of Jagannath, which may be an attempt to abstract an image of a lion's head ready to attack. While the tribal Narasimha theory is attractive states Starza, a weakness of this proposal is that the abstract Narasimha representation in the form does not appear similar to
2392-465: Is unclear. Some scholars interpret hymn 10.155.3 of the Rigveda as a possible origin, but others disagree and state that it is a syncretic/synthetic deity with tribal roots. The English word juggernaut was the rendition into English of "Jagannath" by early British in India, and came to mean a very large and unstoppable force from accounts of the famous Ratha Yatra processions in Puri . Jagannath
2484-504: The Avataras of Vishnu (Jagannath) manifest from him and after their cosmic play dissolute (bilaya) in him (Jagannath). According to them Jagannath is Sunnya Purusa, Nirakar and Niranjan who is ever present in Nilachala to do cosmic play ... The five Vaishnavite Sakhas ["Comrades"] of Orissa during Prataparudradeva's time expounded in their works the idea that Jagannath ( Purushottama )
2576-552: The Mahayana Buddhism traditions. Faxian (c. 400 CE), the ancient Chinese pilgrim and visitor to India wrote about a Buddhist procession in his memoir, and this has very close resemblances with the Jagannath festivities. Further the season in which the Ratha-Yatra festival is observed is about the same time when the historic public processions welcomed Buddhist monks for their temporary, annual monsoon-season retirement. There
2668-651: The Shri Yantra . Further, his Shri Chakra ("holy wheel") is worshipped in the bijamantra 'klim', which is also the bijamantra of Kali or Shakti. The representation of Balarama as Sheshanaga or Sankarsana bears testimony to the influence of Shaivism on the cult of Jagannath. The third deity, Devi Subhadra, who represents the Sakti element is still worshipped with the Bhuvaneshvari Mantra. The Tantric texts claim Jagannath to their own, to be Bhairava, and his companion to be
2760-511: The avatar of Vishnu. To some Shaiva and Shakta Hindus, he is a symmetry-filled tantric form of Bhairava , a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation. The Jagannathism ( a.k.a. Odia Vaishnavism) — the particular sector of Jagannath as a major deity — emerged in the Early Middle Ages and later became an independent state regional temple-centered tradition of Krishnaism /Vaishnavism. The idol of Jagannath
2852-502: The relic worship associated with Jagannatha, a concept integral to Buddhism but alien to Hinduism. For example, there exists an unexamined relic in the Jagannath shrine in Puri, and the local legends state that the shrine relic contains a tooth of Gautama Buddha – a feature common to many cherished Theravada Buddhist shrines in and outside India. According to Datha-dhatu-vamsa , as mentioned in Culavamsa , Buddha's left canine tooth
Sora people - Misplaced Pages Continue
2944-491: The 16th century. Sometimes one regards him as one of the avatars (incarnations) of Krishna (i.e., Buddha-Jagannath) or Vishnu (i.e., Vamana). His name does not appear in the traditional Dashavatara (ten avatars) of Vishnu, though in certain Odia literature , Jagannath has been treated as the avatar of Krishna, as a substitute for or the equivalent of the avatar Buddha from Dashavatara. Outside Vaishnava tradition, Jagannath
3036-514: The 9th day they are returned to the main temple. Coinciding with the Ratha Yatra festival at Puri, similar processions are organized at Jagannath temples throughout the world. During the festive public procession of Jagannath in Puri, hundreds of thousands of devotees visit Puri to see Jagganath in chariot. Jagannath is a Sanskrit word, compounded of jagat meaning "universe" and nātha meaning "Master" or "Lord". Thus, Jagannath means "lord of
3128-477: The Buddhist principles of Sunya (The great void) and Alekha (The formless one) with Jagannath himself. The idols of Jagannath triad are not anthropomorphic like hindu idols, but instead are stumps of wood with crude symbolic facial features and stumpy obtrusions for limbs. Odia poet Sarala Dasa of 15th century in his Mahabharata describes Jagannatha as Buddha but not as any other avatar of Vishnu: He remains in
3220-580: The Buddhist remains still existing. The idols of Jagannatha is believed to contain the bones of Krishna even though it forms no part of the Brahmanical religion to collect and adore dead men's bones while it is a most meritorious act among the Buddhists to collect and preserve the relics of departed saints, and the places that contain them are esteemed peculiarly holy. In Buddhism, preserving cetiya or skeletal parts such as "Buddha's tooth" or relics of dead saints
3312-599: The Hindu goddess Kali with it. However, states Starza, this theory is weak because the Anga pen features a bird or snake like attached head along with other details that make the tribal deity unlike the Jagannath. Some scholars such as Kulke and Tripathi have proposed tribal deities such as Stambhesveri or Kambhesvari to be a possible contributor to the Jagannath triad. However, according to Starza, these are not really tribal deities, but Shaiva deities adopted by tribes in eastern states of India. Yet another proposal for tribal origins
3404-451: The Hindus. According to Starza, the Jain influence on the Jagannath tradition is difficult to assess given the sketchy uncertain evidence, but nothing establishes that the Jagannath tradition has a Jain origin. The Vaishnava origin theories rely on the iconographic details and the typical presence of the triad of deities, based on original scriptures of Hinduism. The colors, state the scholars of
3496-470: The Jagannath cult, such as the supposed tooth relic of Buddha, the Ratha-Yatra , the absence of caste rules in the temple and the identification of Jagannath with Buddha avatar are not sufficient to establish a Buddhist origin of the worship of Jagannath. Indrabhuti , the ancient Buddhist king of Oddiyana , describes Jagannath as a Buddhist deity in Jñānasiddhi . This is the oldest known direct mention of
3588-468: The Jain context and was derived from Jinanath . Evidence of the Jain terminology such as of Kaivalya , which means moksha or salvation, is found in the Jagannath tradition. Similarly, the twenty two steps leading to the temple, called the Baisi Pahacha , have been proposed as symbolic reverence for the first 22 of the 24 Tirthankaras of Jainism. According to Annirudh Das, the original Jagannath deity
3680-405: The Puri, Odisha, Jagannath is included with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra . Apart from the principal companion deities, the Jagannath icon shows a Sudarshana Chakra and sometimes under the umbrella cover of multiheaded Sesha Naga, both linking him to Vishnu . When shown with Balabhadra and Subhadra, he is identifiable from his circular eyes compared to the oval or almond shape of
3772-593: The Universe"). Both names derive from Jagannath . Further, on the basis of the physical appearance of the deity, names like Kalia (କାଳିଆ) ("The Black-coloured Lord", but which can also mean "the Timely One"), Darubrahman (ଦାରୁବ୍ରହ୍ମ) ("The Sacred Wood-Riddle"), Dāruēdebatā ( ଦାରୁ ଦେବତା "The wooden god"), Chakā ākhi ( ଚକା ଆଖି ) or Chakānayan ( ଚକା ନୟନ "With round eyes"), Cakāḍōḷā ( ଚକା ଡୋଳା "with round pupils") are also in vogue. According to Dina Krishna Joshi,
Sora people - Misplaced Pages Continue
3864-686: The Universe';; formerly English: Juggernaut ) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with his ( Krishna 's) brother Balabhadra , and sister, Subhadra . Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, Purushottama , and the Para Brahman . To most Vaishnava Hindus, particularly the Krishnaites , Jagannath is a form of Krishna , sometimes as
3956-464: The Vaishnava origin theory, link to black-colored Krishna and white-colored Balarama. They add that the goddess originally was Ekanamsa (Durga of Shaiva-Shakti tradition, sister of Krishna through his foster family). She was later renamed to Shubhadra (Lakshmi) per Vaishnava terminology for the divine feminine. It is certainly true that the Vaishnava Hindus in the eastern region of India worshipped
4048-576: The Vaisnava mythic hierarchy. But in the opening chapter of his Gita Govinda , the poet Jayadeva claims that Vishnu reincarnated as the Buddha to condemn the animal sacrifices prevalent in Vedic times. In the Jagannath cult, Jagannath is sometimes represented as the ninth avatar of Vishnu substituting Buddha, when it could have been substituted for any other avatar. According to Starza, these manifestation of
4140-553: The ancestral group, which migrated into India, and spread the Austroasiatic languages. Munda peoples are genetically closely related to Mah Meri and Temuan people of Malaysia. Some ethnic groups do not natively speak any of the Munda languages, but genetic evidence suggest gene flow of some Munda genetic lineages. Jagannath Jagannatha ( Odia : ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ , romanized: Jagannātha , lit. 'Lord of
4232-525: The area. Munda-speaking people have high amount of East Asian paternal lineages O1b1 (~75%) and D1a1 (~6%), which is absent from other Indian groups. They found that the modern Munda-speaking people have about 29% East/Southeast Asian , 15.5% West Asian and 55.5% South Asian ancestry on average. The authors concluded that there was a mostly male-dominated migration into India from Southeast Asia. Modern people in Laos , Cambodia and Malaysia were found to represent
4324-399: The belief that Indrabhuti was the king of Odisha which is same as Oddiyana or Odra- pitha , of which the main deities are Jagganath and Viraja. Some scholars argue that evidences of Jagannatha's Buddhist nature are found from Medieval Odia Literature. Many medieval Odia poets suggest to their readers, that they wrote their books on the commands of a formless god-like personality, identifying
4416-417: The blocks of Gumma, Serango of Gajapati district. The Soras speak Sora , a Munda language . However, written language in Sora is not followed by all. They practice shifting cultivation , with a few gradually taking up settled agriculture. They are of medium or short stature. The Savara villages consist of houses with mud walls and sedge grass roofs, usually situated in foothills. The adult males dress with
4508-440: The chieftain would leave the house every evening, and only return the following noon. At his urging, Lalita revealed to him that these were her father's visits to the shrine of Nilamadhava, whose location was held secret within the community. Vidyapati persuaded his wife to ask Vishvavasu to take him along to see the image of the deity. The chieftain agreed to take Vidyapati with him, but on the condition that he be blindfolded during
4600-597: The coast of Odisha from Southeast Asia about 4000-3500 years ago ( c. 2000 – c. 1500 BCE), during the late Bronze Age , at the time of decline of the Indus Valley Civilization in Northwest India. The Munda people spread from Southeast Asia and mixed extensively with local Indian populations. Robert Parkin notes that the term "Munda" did not belong to the Austroasiatic lexis and
4692-537: The correct context of the hymn is "Alaxmi Stava" of Arayi. According to Bijoy Misra, Puri natives do call Jagannatha as Purushottama, consider driftwood a savior symbol, and later Hindu texts of the region describe the Supreme Being as ever present in everything, pervasive in all animate and inanimate things. Therefore, while the Vedic connection is subject to interpretation, the overlap in the ideas exist. Theories suggesting Buddhist origins of Jagannatha stems from
SECTION 50
#17328586127304784-486: The deity who was then secretly worshipped by Viswabasu inside the cave of a dense forest. Vidyapati tried his best, but could not locate the place of worship. Finally, he could manage to marry Lalita, the daughter of Viswabasu. At repeated request of Lalita, Viswabasu took his son-in-law blind-folded to a cave wherein Lord Neelamadhaba was being worshipped. Vidyapati was a very intelligent man. He dropped mustard seeds on
4876-596: The deity. This is not unique to the coastal state of Odisha, but possibly also influenced Buddhism in Nepal and Tibet . Shakyamuni Buddha is also worshipped as Jagannath in Nepal. Abhinav Patra argues that it has not been historically ascertained whether the deity Jagannath as worshipped by Indrabhuti was just a coincidental homonym with the present Jagannath or referred to the same deity. The 10th century era text Kubjikāmatatantra , mentions Viraja (ancient capital of Utkala ) as
4968-451: The first to view the new replacement images of Jagannath carved from wood approximately every 12 years. Further, this group is traditionally accepted to have the exclusive privilege of serving the principal meals and offerings to Jagannath and his associate deities. According to Verrier Elwin , a convert to Hinduism, Jagannatha in a local legend was a tribal deity who was coopted by a Brahmin priest. The original tribal deity, states Elwin,
5060-483: The goddess of Oddiyana, with which Indrabhuti's son Padmasambhava is associated with. The Saddharmapundarika records a prophecy in which the Lord assures Śāriputra , that he would be in a distant future time a Buddha under the name of Padmaprabha, and that his place of enlightenment would be Viraja. Padmasambhava and Tārā, along with other deities are invoked in an inscription of 25 lines incised in nail-headed characters of
5152-457: The graveyards of the ancestors have been destroyed. The Sora have a traditional political organization at each village and region, having hereditary post of Gomango (or Gamong; secular head), Buyya (or Buya; religious head), Mondal, Raito, and Barik (messenger). The Soras have made history in pre-British and British period and post independence as a community known for their economic and political integrity. They practice shifting cultivation and
5244-441: The ground on his way. After a few days, the seeds germinated which helped Vidyapati to locate the cave wherein the deity was being worshiped in secret. On hearing from Vidyapati subsequently, Raja Indradyumna immediately rushed to Odra desa (Odisha) to have a darshan of the deity. The king was disappointed at the sudden disappearance of the deity. The deity was hidden in sand. Raja Indradyumna was determined not to return without having
5336-536: The images of Narasimha in nearby Konark and Kalinga temple artworks. In contemporary Odisha, there are many Dadhivaman temples with a wooden pillar god, and this may be same as Jagannath. According to H.S. Patnaik and others, Jagannath is a syncretic/synthetic deity that combined aspects of major faiths like Shaivism , Shaktism , Vaishnavism , Jainism , and Buddhism . Krishnaite sampradayas, as example, Gaudiya Vaishnavas, have identified him strongly with Krishna. In Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, Balabhadra
5428-518: The inventor of Sora script Sora - Sompen in Marichaguda has been used by the Sora people for their ethnic solidarity. Prof Khageswara Mahapatra, an eminent linguist of Odisha had promoted Sora script through his patronization. The Soras are highly religious with each and every natural phenomenon attributed to the works of some Gods, deities or spirits of traditional belief. Therefore, the customary law, values, norms are highly respected by all members of
5520-446: The journey so that the shrine's location remained undisclosed. Lalita helped her husband devise a plan: Vidyapati brought a bag of mustard seeds with him, scattering them all along the path to the shrine present in a cave, bearing witness to the deep blue image of Nilamadhava. Returning to Avanti, he reported his discovery of the shrine to Indradyumna. After a few months, following the mustards seeds that had since germinated into plants,
5612-419: The king and his retinue travelled to the shrine, unable to locate the image. After praying to Vishnu for three days and nights, they heard the deity's voice thunder from the heavens, rebuking them for their scheme and informing them of his omnipresence. He announced that he would manifest as a dāru (wooden image) floating by the sea. He instructed them to construct a new temple upon a mountain that stood beside
SECTION 60
#17328586127305704-401: The last Glacial maximum, circa 10,000 years ago. Arunkumar et al. suggest Austroasiatic migrations from Southeast Asia occurred into Northeast India 5.2 ± 0.6 kya and into East India 4.3 ± 0.2 kya. Tätte et al. 2019 estimated that the Austroasiatic language speaking people admixed with Indian population about 2000-3800 year ago which may suggest arrival of south-east Asian genetic component in
5796-539: The late 8th-9th century on the back of an image of Lokeśvara / Mahākaruṇā at Udaygiri not far from Jajpur, which states that a stupa with a relic inside and dwelt in by the Tathāgata was set up on that very spot. The stupa is believed to have contained the relics of Padmasambhava. Though the site is only partially excavated, at least one stupa has been unearthed. According to Nabin Kumar Sahu, this mass of evidence, supports
5888-407: The legend, the image of Neelamadhaba was made of Neelakanta mani (emerald). However, the present image of the deity is made of neem wood. Legend further says that Lord Jagannath was originally worshiped by a Savara raja (an aboriginal tribal chieftain) named Viswabasu. Having heard about the glory of the deity, Raja Indradyumna sent a Brahmin priest called Vidyapati to discover the exact location of
5980-576: The market across the world. Education in Saora Language; Government of Odisha has introduced the Saora language in primary schools under Multilingual Education Programme from class I to class V. The eminent teachers from the Sora community have written Sora primers. Enam Gomanga, Philip Sabara, Ghasi Sabara, Injuram Sabara are the eminent writers of Sora Primer guided by Dr. MAhendra Kumar Mishra, Former State Coordinator, MLE program, Odisha Mangei Gomanga,
6072-538: The men hunt. A weekly market, called shandies, is an important role in the society, in the economy and in culture exchanges with other tribes and Western culture . Saora Tales and Songs, Edited by Dr Mahendra Kumar Mishra, Published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. 2005, 2018 ♙ 2. Dr. Chitrasen Pasayat, http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/may2006/engpdf/33-36.pdf Lord Jagannath : Symbol of Unity and Integration, Munda peoples According to linguist Paul Sidwell , pre-Munda languages arrived on
6164-405: The most prevalent practitioners of the podu cultivation system in Srikakulam district . Living high in the hills, they have little level land available and so cannot usually plough. They slash-and-burn forested land, planting millet and pulses between the tree stumps that are left and which limit the effects of erosion. After a couple of years of use, they allow the land to recover by cultivating
6256-410: The myths of Origin and narratives. Their folklore is enriched with local knowledge. Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi has published a book on Saora Folk literature written by Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra, a noted folklorist of India. Cornelia Mallebrein, A German ethnographer has conducted research and study on Id- Tal, the traditional Sora ritual painting. Nowadays, Id-Tal Painting has highly popular esteem in
6348-600: The name for another very different Munda tribe. They inhabit blocks of Gunupur , Padmapur and Gudari . Their highest concentration is found in the Puttasingi area, approximately 25 km away from Gunupur NAC. Although, they are close to the assimilation process, yet some interior GPs like Rejingtal, Sagada and Puttasingi have Soras who still retain their traditional tribal customs and traditions. They are known by various names such as Savara , Sabara , Sora , and Soura . They are concentrated in parts of Gunupur adjoining to
6440-524: The other two abstract icons. Further, his icon is dark, while Balabhadra's face is white, and Subhadra's icon is yellow. The third difference is the flat head of Jagannath icon, compared to semi-circular carved heads of the other two. They are accompanied by the Sudarshana Chakra, the iconic weapon of Vishnu. It is approximately the same height as Balabhadra, is red in colour, carved from a wooden pillar and clothed, unlike its traditional representation as
6532-425: The palace of Sri Ram. The tribal origin theories rely on circumstantial evidence and inferences such as the Jagannath icon is non-anthropomorphic and non-zoomorphic. The hereditary priests in the Jagannath tradition of Hinduism include non-Brahmin servitors, called Daitas , which may be an adopted grandfathered practice with tribal roots. The use of wood as a construction material for the Jagannath icons may also be
6624-679: The same as goddess Vimala is the Shakti. The offerings of Jagannath becomes mahaprasad only after it is re-offered to goddess Vimala. Similarly, different Tantric features of yantras have been engraved on the Ratna vedi, where Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are set up. The Kalika Purana depicts Jagannath as a Tantric deity. According to Avinash Patra, the rituals and special place accepted for non-Brahmin Daitas priests in Jagannath tradition, who co-exist and work together with Brahmin priests suggests that there
6716-456: The seashore for his worship. In the Skanda Purana , by the time Vidyapati returned to inform the king of the site of the shrine, a great storm had buried the image of Nilamadhava under the sand. Despite his best attempts, the king was unable to locate the image. Upon the counsel of the sage divinity Narada , Indradyumna constructed a new temple, and performed a thousand ashvamedha yajnas at
6808-681: The shaman, arguing vehemently with the dead, laughing at their jokes, or weeping at their accusations." The Soras were already mentioned under the name of Savara s in Brāhmaṇa s , who associate them with the Indo-Aryan Vaidarbhas and non-Indo-Aryan Pulindas . Graeco-Roman authors later mentioned the Soras, with Pliny calling them the "Suari" and Ptolemy calling them the "Sabarae." Instead of clan organization they have their extended families called Birinda, which consists of descendants from
6900-482: The site. Receiving guidance in the form of a divine dream, a great tree floating in the sea was felled and used to create the three wooden images of the temple, those of Jagannatha, Balarama , and Subhadra . The king travelled to Brahmaloka to invite Brahma to inaugurate the temple. With the passage of time, a king named Gala claimed to have been the temple's real architect, but with the return of Indradyumna to earth, he withdrew this claim. After Brahma had inaugurated
6992-410: The society for the fear of inviting personal or communal harms. They believe that spirits guide their destiny, worshiping mainly the deities Sandhidemudu and Jakaradevatha. According to the legend, Lord Nrusimha was being worshipped at Neelagiri (Puri) along with Neelamadhaba. As mentioned earlier, Lord Nrushimha is being worshiped in a separate temple adjacent to Muktimandapa/ Muktamandapa. According to
7084-629: The sun and the other the moon, features traceable in 17th-century paintings. He is shown with an Urdhva Pundra , the Vaishnava U-shaped mark on his forehead. His dark color and other facial features are an abstraction of the cosmic form of the Hindu god Krishna, states Starza. In some contemporary Jagannath temples, two stumps pointing forward in an embracing position represent his hands. In some exceptional medieval and modern era paintings in museums outside India, such as in Berlin states Starza, Jagannath
7176-639: The sun's chariot, a syncretic absorption of the Saura ( Surya -centric) tradition of Hinduism. The conglomerate of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshana Chakra worshipped together on a common platform are called the Chaturdhamurti or the "four-fold form". O.M. Starza states that the Jagannath Ratha Yatra may have evolved from the syncretism of procession rituals for Shiva lingas, Vaishnava pillars, and tribal folk festivities. The Shaiva element in
7268-461: The temple, Indradyumna returned to Brahmaloka, entrusting the upkeep of the site to Gala. In hymn 10.155 of the Rigveda , there is mention of a Daru (wooden log) floating in the ocean as apurusham . Acharya Sayana interpreted the term apurusham as same as Purushottama and this Dara wood log being an inspiration for Jagannath, thus placing the origin of Jagannath in 2nd millennium BCE. Other scholars refute this interpretation stating that
7360-613: The throne inside the temple, holding the Conch and Discus in the form of Buddha. Salute thee Sri Jagannath the revered One whose domain is the Blue Hills, he sits pretty as Sri Buddha there in the Blue Cavern. Pandit Nilakantha Das suggested that Jagannath was a deity of Jain origin because of the appending of Nath to many Jain Tirthankars . He felt Jagannath meant the 'World personified' in
7452-449: The tradition of Jagannath overlap with the rites and doctrines of Tantrism and Shaktism . According to the Shaivas, Jagannath is Bhairava. The Shiva Purana mentions Jagannatha as one of the 108 names of Shiva. The Tantric literary texts identify Jagannath with Mahabhairava. Another evidence that supports syncretism thesis is the fact that Jagannath sits on the abstract tantric symbols of
7544-539: The triad of Balarama, Ekanamsa and Krishna. There are many scriptural references to support the same. Further, in many Jagannath temples of central and eastern regions of India, the Shiva icons such as the Linga-yoni are reverentially incorporated, since Lord Shiva is a Vaishnav according to the conclusion of Srimad Bhagavatam, he protects Sri Jagannath Temple from external calamities, just like he does so in his form of Hanuman for
7636-558: The triad, Balabhadra is also considered to be Shiva and Subhadra , a manifestation of Durga . In the Markandeya Purana the sage Markandeya declared that Purushottama Jagannath and Shiva are one. Jagannath in his Hathi Besha or Gaja Besha (elephant form) has been venerated by devotees like Ganapati Bappa of Maharashtra as Ganesha . According to the Purushottama Kshetra Mahatmya (part of Vaiṣṇava Khaṇḍa ,
7728-422: The universe". Jagannatha, according to them is a generic term, not unique, as much as Lokanatha or Avalokiteswara. ln fact, the name Jagannatha could be applied to any Deity which is considered supreme. — Surendra Mohanty , Lord Jagannatha: the microcosm of Indian spiritual culture In the Odia language , Jagannath is linked to other names, such as Jagā (ଜଗା) or Jagabandhu (ଜଗବନ୍ଧୁ) ("Friend of
7820-548: The word may have origins in the tribal word Kittung of the Sora people (Savaras). This hypothesis states that the Vedic people as they settled into tribal regions adopted the tribal words and called the deity Jagannath. According to O.M. Starza, this is unlikely because Kittung is phonetically unrelated, and the Kittung tribal deity is produced from burnt wood and looks very different from Jagannath. The icon of Jagannath in his temples
7912-529: The younger brother of his royal priest, or sometimes a minister, Vidyapati, to locate the site of the deity's image in the Nilagiri region. Regional folklore states that the priest was welcomed by Vishvavasu, the chieftain of the Savara people. During the duration of his stay in the chieftain's house, the latter's daughter, Lalita, fell in love with him. Upon the chieftain's request, Vidyapati married her. He noticed that
8004-521: The “para-Austroasiatic” lineage of the Yayoi people . According to Chaubey et al., "Austro-Asiatic speakers in India today are derived from dispersal from Southeast Asia , followed by extensive sex-specific admixture with local Indian populations." According to Riccio et al., the Munda people are likely descended from Austroasiatic migrants from Southeast Asia. According to Zhang et al., Austroasiatic migrations from Southeast Asia into India took place after
8096-517: Was Kittung which too is made from wood. According to the Polish Indologist Olgierd M. Starza, this is an interesting parallel but a flawed one because the Kittung deity is produced by burning a piece of wood and too different in its specifics to be the origin of Jagannath. According to another proposal by Stella Kramrisch , log as a symbol of Anga pen deity is found in central Indian tribes and they have used it to represent features of
8188-633: Was assimilated as Vishnu's ninth avatar in Vishnu Puran as a divinely incarnated purveyor of illusion. It states that Vishnu's "descent" as the Buddhavatara was accomplished so that the wicked and demonic could be only further misled away from the truth in kali yuga . This assimilation and the consequent disingenuous interpretation or rationale for his inclusion aptly articulate the considerable ambivalence characteristic of Hindu attitudes towards Buddhism, undermining his historicity, to make him an appendage of
8280-605: Was handed over to Brahmadatta by a disciple, which eventually gave rise to dissensions between the kings of Kalinga and Pataliputra in 3rd century CE, and the tooth relic was shifted to Sri Lanka by weighing anchor in Tamralipta . According to Ganguly, it is absurd to imagine that the prince chose the farthest harbor from the capital even though there were intermediate harbors from which it would have been easier to set out on his voyage. Buddhism anciently prevailed in Odisha as appears from
8372-628: Was influenced by Jainism and is none other than the Jina of Kalinga taken to Magadha by Mahapadma Nanda . The theory of Jain origins is supported by the Jain Hathigumpha inscription . It mentions the worship of a relic memorial in Khandagiri-Udayagiri, on the Kumara hill. This location is stated to be same as the Jagannath temple site. However, states Starza, a Jain text mentions the Jagannath shrine
8464-457: Was restored by Jains, but the authenticity and date of this text is unclear. Another circumstantial evidence supporting the Jain origins proposal is the discovery of Jain images inside as well as near the massive Puri temple complex, including those carved into the walls. However, this could also be a later addition, or suggestive of tolerance, mutual support or close relationship between the Jains and
#729270