One of the most prominent religions in India is Hinduism. Different parts of the country celebrate their own Hindu festivals, where they celebrate different deities. As we move towards the eastern state of Odisha, one of the most prominent deities that is worshipped is Lord Jagannath. The state also has the famous Jagannath Temple, which is situated in the city of Puri. Recently, there has been a lot of anticipation among the people regarding the famous Nabakalebara festival in the city. Nabakalebara is an important festival in the Hindu Odia calendar, observed in the Jagannath Temple. It marks the symbolic demise and rebirth of Jagannath at Puri. The event involves the installation of new images in the Jagannath temple and the burial of the old ones in the temple premises. During the festival, wooden icons of four Hindu deities — Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshana — are ritualistically recreated at the temple. During these days, the whole city of Puri erupts with celebration, and people from all walks of life celebrate the festival. The deities are covered with sandalwood, and then they take a bath as well.
It has been found that the year of Nabakalebara comes when there is a full moon twice during the month of Ashadha. Every three years in the Hindu calendar, a lunar month is excluded from the calculation to maintain a balance between the lunar and solar years. A year that has an extra month is said to be considered auspicious for the Nabakalebara ceremony. Usually, this festival occurs every twelve to nineteen years. The last Nabakalebara festival was held in 2015. Before that, it happened in 1996.
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