Why was ‘Tahiya’ removed from the head of Lord Jagannath this time? Know how it is made and when does its preparation start?

The world famous Jagannath Rath Yatra of Puri has started. In this holy journey, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra ride on a chariot and go to Shri Gundicha temple. Every year lakhs of devotees participate in this yatra. There is a religious belief that seeing God and pulling the chariot during Rath Yatra brings special virtue.

This time, there is a lot of discussion due to the absence of traditional ‘Tahiya’ on the head of Lord Jagannath in the Rath Yatra. Tahiya is a special crown to adorn the Lord, which is started making from Akshaya Tritiya. It is made by hand from materials like bamboo, cane, solapith, flowers, sacred grass and lace.

What is Tahiya?

Tahiya is a very special part of the adornment of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. This is a traditional crown, whose shape is like a betel leaf. During the Rath Yatra, when the Gods are brought out of the sanctum sanctorum and seated on the chariot, they are made to wear this Tahiya during the ‘Pahandi’ ritual. It is believed that this makes the divine and grand form of God appear even more attractive.

How is tahiya prepared?

Preparing Tahiya is not an easy task. It takes many days of hard work to make it. To make it, things like thin bamboo, cane, solapith (shola), flowers, sacred grass and lace are used. A beautiful tahiya is prepared by joining all these items with natural glue. The special thing is that the same family of artisans associated with Raghav Das Math of Puri has been carrying forward this art from generation to generation.

When does tahiya start making?

Every year the work of making Tahiya starts from the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. After this, the artisans prepare it with great effort for several weeks. Before the Rath Yatra, special attention is paid to its decoration and every small detail, so that on the day of the Rath Yatra, traditional and grand adornment of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra can be done.

Why is Tahiya considered special?

According to religious belief, Tahiya is not only for adorning God, but it also has special spiritual significance. When Lord Jagannath moves forward in the Pahandi ritual during the Rath Yatra, the Tahiya decorated on his head also flutters along with him. It is considered a symbol of God’s divine presence, his energy and auspicious journey.

Why did the Tahiya have to be removed in the Rath Yatra?

This year, during the Rath Yatra, Tahiya got wet due to rain and his weight had increased a lot. According to the temple administration, keeping in mind the safety of the Lord, he was first dressed in special clothes to protect him from the rain. Later, the servants saw that the heavy Tahiya could cause trouble, so they removed it out of caution. The administration said that this decision was taken by the servants keeping in mind the safety and convenience of the Lord.