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Kalapahada

By Ghose, Aswini Kumar

Kalapahada

By Ghose, Aswini Kumar

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Description
The traditional account of Kalapahad, a Hindu renegade and an iconoclast has influenced the Odia socialand literary space. According to some historical documents, his original name was Rajiv Lochan Ray orKalachand Roy Bhadury, a Bengali (Barendra Brahmin) who fell in love with Dulari, the beautiful andcharming daughter of Sulaiman Karrani, the Nawab of Bengal. He married her after his conversion to Islam.But he repented of his deed as he faced boycott in the society. Therefore, he wanted to return to Hinduism.But the Hindu society refused to accept him as a Hindu. At last, he came to the Temple of Lord Jagannath atPuri to perform expiation to convert himself to Hinduism. But the priests scornfully turned down his prayerfor conversion. He got enraged and assumed the name of Kalapahad and vowed to ruin Hindu religion,images and temples.Madalapanji, the temple chronicle holds that Kalapahad desecrated the Jagannath temple. According tothis tradition, "when the servitors of the temple heard of Kalapahad's design on the temple, they took theimages out of the temple and hid them at a place named Hatipada near Chilka lake. But Kalapahad learnt ofthis and brought the images from that place on elephants. He carried them to the bank of river Ganges andset fire to them. Just at that time a miracle happened. His body got cracked into pieces. Being perplexed bythis, he brought out the gods from the fire and dumped them in the Ganges. Holy Ganga carried the
Brahma (or Brahma Pinda) downstream where a Vaishnava devotee Bishar Mohanty extracted theimmortal part (Brahma). Later he consecrated the Brahma at Garh Kujanga temple. The 'Brahma' wasworshipped there for seven years, (1568A.D to 1575 A.D). In 1575 A.D during the rule of Ramachandra Dev,the first king of the Bhoi dynasty, 'Brahma' was brought from Garh Kujang and kept at Khordha Garh byhim. Next year in 1576 A.D, the construction of new images, their entry in to the temple along with theinstallation of 'Brahma' in them were performed. This account of Kalapahad has been mentioned by Dr.Sarat Chandra Biswal in his article, "Sri Jagannath and Kalapahad" published in Odisha Review.
Product details
Binding:
Paperback
Number of Pages:
148
Release Date:
2025-12-18
Publication Date:
2025-12-18
Publisher:
BLACK EAGLE BOOKS
Languages:
Original: English
ISBN10:
164560800X
ISBN13:
9781645608004
Weight:
196 g
Height:
140 cm
Width:
216 cm
Thickness:
8 cm
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