Quest for Darus continues in Odisha

Odisha Channel Bureau Puri, April 5: On the Sunday morning Daitapatis embarked on search mission in our directions.For that they formed four groups headed by the chief Daitapatis of the four deities Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan.Each group of Daitapatis went in a number of vehicles to different locations to search for the suitable Neem trees with holy symbols on it.The Daitapatis said they were yet to get any divine vision about the location of Darus.Throughout the night on Saturday, they were chanting the Swapnabati mantra to appease the goddess of dream.In the morning they went out in search.While the Daitapatis were on the lookout for Neem trees the Swotriya Brahmins accompanying the Banajag team were performing Saptasati Chandi and chanting Vedic hymns in the Ma Mangala temple at Kakatpur during the day to make the work of the Daitas easy.The Daitapatis taking part in the Banajag Yatra return to the Deuli mutt every day before evening.They would keep this schedule till they get the divine instruction about the suitable Neem tree.In the forests they were looking for the Neem trees which bear the holy symbols of deities like Mace, Lotus, conch and wheel (chakra) in the trunk of the Neem tree.This apart they would look for the surroundings matching to the conditions prescribed in the ancient Nabakalebara manual.The manual is closely guarded and kept in secret by the Swain Mahapatra family.The manual prescribes the Neem trees should be matured enough to carve out the Darus, The Neem trees should be located near a river and cremation ground and surrounded by Sahada and Bakul trees, besides an ant hill near the root of the tree.There should not be any bird nest on the tree and many such conditions.Under the instruction of Swain Mahapatra Daitapati, the Biswakarmas would carve out shapes and sizes of the deities on the Neem tree trunks in a separate enclosure inside the Sri Jagannath temple complex in utmost secrecy and tight security.As per the instructions in the manual during the sculpting work none is allowed to go out of the temple or to enter.The Daitapatis and Biswakarmas involved in shaping the Neem trees into Bigrahas (idols) would stay in the temple till the transfer of Brahma from the old body to new Bigrahas takes place.