2018-03-20 Tue

President Ram Nath Kovind has released Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 10 commemorative coins on the occasion of Nabakalebar festival at a function held in Puri, Odisha. These coins were released to mark the festival which is a symbolic recreation of sibling deities: Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.

Addressing a function held on the occasion, Mr Kovind described the pilgrim town of Puri as the ‘Vidya Nagri’ (education hub) for its connection with knowledge and science since ancient times. Puri is also called the ‘Kashi’ of eastern region in India. Adi Shankaracharya chose Puri to establish his ‘peeth’.

Nabakalebar festival is the oldest ritual that is observed in the Shree Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha at a predefined time according to Hindu calendar. Naba means new and Kalebara is a body. In this festival, the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by new idols as it is believed that Lord Shree Jagannath adorned new body during Nabakalebara. It usually comes in every twelve to nineteen years based on the auspicious two months of Ashadha in a year called as Purusottam month as per the Hindu calendar.

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