Malkangiri: A grand celebration was held for the installation of a new permanent Jagannath Temple and the Ashtam Prahari Nama Sankirtan (eight-phase devotional chanting) in Chandanguda village, located in Padmagiri Panchayat under Malkangiri district, a tribal-dominated region.
The event began on Saturday morning with a Kalash Yatra involving 108 sacred pots, which were ceremoniously placed around the temple premises. Today, the Ashtam Prahari Nama Sankirtan and Yagna rituals were performed with great devotion.
According to priest Bikash Paricha, the final offering (Purnahuti) of the yagna will take place tomorrow, following which the Chaturdha Murti (the four deities) of Lord Jagannath will be formally installed in the newly constructed permanent temple.
Starting tomorrow, after the life-infusing ritual (Prana Pratishtha) of the deities, the worship and rituals will follow the traditions of the Jagannath Dham in Puri, and all devotees will be allowed to offer their prayers.
It is noteworthy that the Chaturdha idols of Lord Jagannath had been worshipped for the past 25 years in a temporary thatched shelter. However, due to the collective efforts of the villagers and by the divine will of Lord Jagannath, a permanent temple has now been constructed.
The installation and devotional celebrations saw the participation of thousands of devotees, including locals and people from neighboring Chhattisgarh. Local residents such as Ram Chandra Pujari, Bala Nayak, Mangala Padiyami, Raghunath Padiyami, Jagannath Madkami, Krishna Chandra Madkami, Shukra Kabasi, and Kanna Buruda played key roles in organizing the event.