According to the Odia almanac, Jyestha Purnima is also known as Devasnana Purnima. In villages, it’s referred to as De Sinan Purnei. On this special day, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra, and Sudarshan are bathed on the Snana Vedi. Due to the heavy bathing, the deities often fall ill and are kept in isolation, called Anasara, for fifteen days. During this period, they are given medicinal herbs and are not available for public viewing.
During King Anangabhima Deva’s reign, the Chhatis Niyog Sevakas were appointed at the Puri Jagannath Temple. In the time of Ramachandra Deva I, detailed records of the Chhatis Niyoga Sevakas’ services are found in the ‘Sri Sri Purushottama Jagannath Mandir Sevaka Khatani Nijoga Karmangi.’ The leader of this group is the Pattajoshi. By the British era, these services had grown to 250, with most being hereditary roles for Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The 1952 state list includes 119 services and sevakas, including the Chitrakara (artist). The ‘Sri Jagannath Temple Record of Rights – Archives (Part III)’ lists Chitrakara service as the 87th.
Chitrakaras, who are Shudra sevakas, have various duties in the temple throughout the year. The ancient worship of Pati Dian during the Anasar period is mentioned in the 17th-century text ‘Niladri Mahodaya.’ Although Sudarshan is mentioned, he hasn’t been part of the Anasara Pati for many years.
While Chitrakaras engage in artistic activities, they don’t paint the wooden idols of the deities. This task is performed by the Mukhashringar sevakas, known as Datta Mahapatra sevakas, who handle the decoration and painting of the deities’ faces.
Once, a Chitrakara sevaka, under the influence of alcohol and after consuming non-vegetarian food, decorated the deity’s face. That night, Lord Jagannath appeared in a dream to the king, instructing that this service be performed by the Datta Mahapatra sevakas. Since then, Shudra Chitrakaras lost the right to touch the deities’ bodies. Datta Mahapatras, who are Daitya-class sevakas, handle certain rituals like Adhara Pocha Niti and Banaka Lagi Niti on specific days.
Photo Source : Ramakanta Samantaray
These rituals use different color pastes, such as white, black, vermillion, and yellow. The Banaka Lagi service involves painting the deities, starting with Balabhadra, then Jagannath, and finally Subhadra. During the Anasara period, this service is performed continuously for three days from the night of Trayodashi. After Snana Purnima, the deities are repainted and prepared for darshan, known as Nava Jaubana Darshan, followed by Rath Yatra.
During the Anasar period, the deities are represented on a cloth called Pati Dian, worshipped instead of the wooden deities who are kept in isolation. The Chitrakaras prepare the Anasar Pati two weeks before Snana Purnima, under the guidance of the chief artist. The senior Chitrakara is ceremonially appointed by the Rajguru of the Gajapati king.
Only three Chitrakara families in and around Puri are privileged to serve in the temple. The process of preparing the Anasar Pati starts from Akshaya Tritiya, the auspicious day for beginning the construction of the chariots. The temple provides white cloth and some financial assistance for creating the paintings. The artists follow strict rituals, avoiding physical contact with their spouses, non-vegetarian food, intoxicants, and even onions and garlic. Although women prepare the traditional colors for paintings, they are not allowed to enter the studio. It’s believed that Lord Jagannath himself visits the artists’ homes during the painting process.
The Anasara Pati measures approximately 118 by 97 centimeters. The chief artist outlines the initial sketch on the Pati, assisted by male family members and other artists. Only traditional colors are used in the painting process. The completed Anasara Pati is displayed at the chief artist’s home until it is taken to the temple. On Snana Purnima, the eyes of the deities on the Pati are ceremonially painted, and the Pati is worshipped with offerings and incense by the entire family. In the evening of Snana Purnima, people from the temple come with garlands and Mahaprasad to the artist’s studio. The painted deities are then ceremoniously carried to the temple with great fanfare.
In Puri, different Chitrakaras paint different Patis, while in other regional Jagannath temples in Odisha, a single artist might paint all the Patis. These artists prepare the Anasara Pati annually as a temple service, receiving nominal remuneration. In some places, artists do it purely as a service to the deity, without any financial motive. However, the younger generation is often reluctant to continue this tradition.
Once the Pati Dian reaches the temple, it is hung on a bamboo frame by the tailor sevakas. The deities on the Pati undergo a ceremonial bath and receive life infusion rituals, becoming the primary deities for the next two weeks. Meanwhile, the wooden deities are treated with various medicinal herbs to recover from their illness.
On the Narayan Pati, the deity’s body is depicted in black. Lord Jagannath is shown seated in a lotus position, holding a conch, discus, mace, and lotus in his four hands. His round face is painted with a proper beard and a mark resembling a flame, drawn in white. He is adorned with various ornaments and wears a yellow dhoti. The ornaments are painted in yellow and red. On his forehead is the Vishnu Chita mark, and above his nose is the Ramanandi Chita mark. His chest is adorned with the Srivatsa mark, and around his shoulder is the sacred thread with nine knots. At the bottom of the Pati, seven devotees or sages are depicted in a praying posture.
Subhadra or Bhubaneswari is painted in yellow. She is shown wearing a white saree with green borders and seated in a lotus position. In her four hands, she holds white lotuses in her upper hands, while her lower hands are in blessing and protection mudras. On the left and right lower corners of the Pati, small figures of two women are depicted, one fanning with a fan and the other with a chamara (fly-whisk). The artist has slightly drawn smaller Bhubaneswari’s left eye.
Balabhadra or Ananta is depicted in white on the Pati. Unlike Narayan, he does not have a Tilak mark on his nose. In his upper hands, he holds a conch and discus, while in his lower hands, he holds a plough and a mace. Above his head is a depiction of a seven-hooded serpent. Ananta’s attire is blue. On the left and right lower corners, Mahadeva and Narada are shown in a praying posture. The three deities are seated inside a wooden frame. Above the frame is a lotus, with a parrot perched nearby, and below the seat, four white strips are painted. On either side are two makara (mythical sea creatures) heads. Behind the frame is a slightly visible star-filled sky. On the top corners of the Pati are depicted two half-lotuses.
Renowned writer and scholar J.P. Das, in his book ‘Puri Painting,’ mentions the ancient tradition of Chitrakara service in the Jagannath Temple. After the central administration weakened, Odisha saw the rise of 18 princely states, each building a Jagannath Temple, requiring Chitrakara sevayats from Puri to settle in these regions. Artist and art historian Dr. Dinanath Pathi and his Swiss researcher friend Eberhard Fischer have authored an important book ‘In the Absence of Jagannath,’ detailing the Pati Dian tradition of Puri and Southern Odisha. The book, published by Niyogi Books in Delhi in 2012, contains valuable and comparative information on the Anasara Pati tradition. Fischer and Pathi began their work in 1977, collecting photos and data for their book published in 2011.
