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Making decorative crowns

Satya Sundar Barik

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

"Tahia’being prepared at Raghab Das math in Puri –

PURI: Craftsman Basant Kumar Rana has been involved in beautifying Lord Jagannath on the occasion of the annual Rath Yatra at this seaside temple city for the past 11 years.

But the coming Rath Yatra could turn out to be a momentous one for him.

The magnificent Tahias (decorative crowns or headgears) of three deities, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra prepared by Rana along with five other craftsmen are likely to remain intact this time round as the Jagannath Temple Administration (JTA) has warned action against errant priests, who will be found damaging those.

Criminal proceedings would be initiated against those who would break the Tahias while deities would be brought out of the main temple in a procession to be elevated to their respective chariots on July 16, the administration warned.

In earlier years, the priests used to damage the Tahias before deities are brought up to their chariots. Parts of the Tahias are believed to have great religious value. Devotees rush to grab even the tiniest part of the damaged Tahias. "We are happy that the whole world will get to see the Tahias in their original shape this time. Everybody will surely appreciate the efforts we have put in to prepare these decorative crowns," said Rana said while putting finishing touches to the Tahias.

A lot of labour and dedication has gone into making of these Tahias for the deities, he said. These crowns are made of bamboo sticks, thermacol, flowers, clothes and other glittering materials.

These craftsmen silently put all their skills to make the Tahias attractive at Mohanta Raghab Das Matha, situated near southern gate of Jagannath temple

. The mutt has a trust board under administrative control of the Endowment Commissioner of the State. It is entrusted to supply the Tahias every year.

The assembling of raw materials for the Tahias is a tedious job. The beginning of making of the Tahias coincided with construction of chariots, two months before the car festival. "Since then, all of us have to shun non-vegetarian foods. Even we have to keep washing our feet every time we return to the sacred place of assembling," Rana said. Another craftsman, Santosh Mishra, said "those who have no expertise cannot make tahias. All measurements are done by fingers only. Since Tahias are very intricatingly designed, it is very difficult for any novice to understand placements of various objects."

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