Koraput: The Lord of the Universe binds devotees with the invisible thread of devotion, being the knower of every heart. Though He is the master of the whole world, Lord Jagannath’s service and rituals are filled with divine, human-like charm. In the sacred space of Shabar Shreekhetra, Lord Jagannath is forever eager to receive the touch of his earliest tribal devotees. Their bond is so intimate that only through the rituals and offerings of these tribal servants, the divine idols attain well-being.
Just like the great Puri Shreekhetra, Koraput’s Shabar Shreekhetra holds deep spiritual and ritualistic resemblance. Here, the entire responsibility of serving the deities lies with the humble tribal community. During Debasnana Purnima, when the deities are bathed with 108 sacred pots of water, the Lord—Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra—falls ill from the excessive bathing. They are then kept in the Anasara Ghar (sick room), where they are treated in a strictly traditional and secret manner. This tradition is completely confidential, and it is the tribal servants who carry it out with utmost sincerity and devotion.
Ramachandra Gemel, a tribal Shabar servant from Uparakandapalli village under Chatua Panchayat in Nandapur Block, has had the rare fortune of performing this secret service. Following age-old methods inherited from his ancestors, Ramachandra collects fruits, flowers, and medicinal herbs from the forest for the Lord’s treatment. He continues the secret healing practices of Lord Jagannath during Anasara and offers bhoga (food offerings) accordingly. Ramachandra, who belongs to the tribal Dora community, has been dedicated to this sacred duty for the past 17 years. From Snana Purnima to the day before the Lord’s Nabajoubana Besha (rejuvenated youthful appearance), a period of around 14 days, he considers himself blessed to serve the Lord in this unique way. He also stated that even the first food offering on the chariot during the Ghosa Jatra (Rath Yatra) is prepared and offered by tribal servants like him.
