Hera Panchami is a unique festival celebrated at the Gundicha Temple at Puri, Odisha in India. ‘Hera’ means to ‘see’ and ‘Panchami’ means the ‘fifth day’.
Historical Significance
On the fifth day of the Rathayatra Festival, Goddess Lakshmi becomes very worried and thinks, "Where has my husband gone? He told me, I am going for a change of environment for some days, and I will return very soon. It has been five days now, and still He has not come back." She becomes anxious because her husband does not take her along. Four weary nights of endless wait have already passed and hence Goddess Lakshmi becomes disconsolate. She goes to the Gundicha Temple on the 5th day to see Lord Jagannath. Although after seeing His eternal consort the Lord promises to return, however, Goddess Laxmi returns with a heavy heart due the mellows of separation from her beloved husband.
In order to teach him a lesson, in a fit of anger the Goddess asks her personal attendants to break a small part of the Nandighosa chariot (the chariot of Lord Jagannath) and returns secretly to the main temple.
Holy Rituals
A major event, held in the courtyard of the temple, is what makes the Hera Panchami Festival in Puri very famous. The event is held on the arrival of the chariot of Goddess Laxmi.
This festival attracts a large number of devotees, who have come to participate in the Ratha Yatra festival. While Lord Jagannath visits Gundicha temple, His consort Lakshmi is left behind in the main temple of Puri. On the Hera Panchami day, an angry Goddess Lakshmi arrives, in the form of Subarna Mahalakshmi, at the Gundicha temple. She is taken inside in a palanquin and worshipped at Gundicha temple, then she is taken to the sanctum sanctorum to meet Lord Jagannath. The couple is seated face-to-face in the sanctum of the Gundicha temple.
During this time there is a heavy rush of devotees at the temple for darshan. Goddess Lakshmi requests the Lord to return home and the Lord gives His consent by offering Her "Agyan Mala" (a garland of consent), which She accepts and leaves for the main temple in the evening. However, still annoyed on her Lord for leaving her alone for such a long period, on Her way out, to signify Her anger Lakshmidevi orders one of her attendants to damage a part of Lord Jagannath's chariot, Nandighosha. This custom is known as Ratha Bhanga (breaking of the chariot). After this, She hides behind a tamarind tree outside the Gundicha temple and later goes home clandestinely by a different path known as Hera Gohri Lane, as She is scared of the repercussions for Her unruly act.
This is a very sweet pastime which is being celebrated every year at Jagannath Puri. This special festival is celebrated with great joy and profuse excitement by the devotees from all over the world.
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