WHEN THE LORD FOUND REFUGE IN GADAMANITRI

On Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya, the deities of Jagannath Temple in Puri traditionally embark on their world-famous Rath Yatra from Srimandir to Gundicha Temple.

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Lord Jagannath, along with his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra, undertakes this ceremonial journey to their birthplace and returns on the tenth day during Bahuda Yatra.

However, history records instances when the deities had to be taken on processions far from the temple sometimes even outside Puri due to threats of invasion. Historians note that such processions have occurred eight times beyond Puri: five times to Gadakujanga, once to Chakanasi in Chilika, once to Nairi (another Lilak-shetra of Mahaprabhu in northern Chilika), and once to Gadamanitri.

There is also a unique historical account of an internal Rath Yatra within the sanctum of the Srimandir.