Sri Jagannathdev has told the following to king Indradyumna (he who constructed the temple in Puri):

Vaisakhasya site pakshe tritiyakshaya saṣjika
tatra mam lepayed-gandha lepanairati-sobhanam
(Utkal Khand, Chapter 29)

‘In the 3rd day of the bright fortnight during the month of Vaisakh, Akshaya-tritiya, smear My Transcendental Spiritual body with fragrant sandalwood paste.’

In Sri Vishnudharmottar it is written, ‘anulepana mukhyanta chandanam parikirtitam’ – sandalwood paste is superior among other smearing articles. This is also mentioned in Sri Narad Puran.

Chandan-Yatra in Narendra Sarovar

Sri Purushottamdev has ordered the Vaishnava king Sri Indradyumna, His servant at that time, to smear fragrant sandalwood paste on His Transcendental Spiritual body on Akshaya-tritiya, the 3rd day of the bright fortnight during the month of Vaisakh. Following that order, even today Sri Jagannathdev’s vijaya-vigraha, Sri Madanmohandev is boarded on a palanquin everyday starting from Akshaya-tritiya till the 8th day of bright fortnight in the month of Jyesta and is taken from Sri Jagannathdev’s temple to the banks of Sri Narendra sarovar (lake). Sri Madanmodandev sails in the boat along with His minister, Sri Loknath Mahadev and others.

This Narendra sarovar is also called ‘Chandanpukur’ because the Chandan-Yatra of Sri Madanmohan takes place here. This ‘Chandanpukur’, which is 873 feet long and 743 feet wide, is situated almost a mile away from Sri Jagannathdev’s temple in the North-East direction. This huge sarovar is bound on all the four sides and there are stone-made steps. The king’s subordinate, Narendra Mahaptra, has established this sarovar (lake), in the 13th century.

narendrer jale govinda naukate cadiya
jalakrida kare saba bhakta gan laṣya
saba bhakta laṣya prabhu namilena jale
saba laṣya jalakrida karena kutuhale
(Composed by Sri Vrindavan Das Thakur in Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat)

Sri Govindadev’s Chandan-Yatra is described in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita and Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat. It is also described there that Sriman Mahaprabhu used to take devotees to Sri Jagannath temple after sporting in the waters of Chandanpukur. Later, Sri Madanmohan has come to be known as vijaya-vigraha of Sri Govinda.

About three hundred years ago, the king of Bengal, Pratapaditya moved Sri Jagannathdev’s representative Sri Govindadev from Sri Purushottam to a place called Raipur near Takir after conquering Utkal. From then on the Chandan-Yatra in Narendra sarovar is performed for Sri Madanmohan instead of Sri Govindadev.

Starting from Akshaya-tritiya, daily in the afternoon, Sri Jagannathdev’s representative, Sri Madanmohan along with Lakshmi and Saraswati board one boat and Sri Ramkrishna along with five Mahadevas board another boat.

The Five Mahadevas

(1) Sri Loknath (2) Sri Yameshwar (3) Sri Kapalmochan (4) Sri Markandeyeswar (5) Sri Nilkantheswar travel by 5 different palanquins.

(1) Sri Loknath Shiv, one of the five secretaries as well as gate keepers of Sri Jagannathdev, is located almost 1.5 miles towards the West of Sri Jagannath temple. This self-manifest Shiva-linga is immersed in water and the temple is surrounded by stoned walls.

(2) Sri Yameshwar Shiv – Sri Hari-Hara Deity. In front of him, there are Garuda-sthamba (the Garuda pillar) and Vrisha-sthamba (the Taurus pillar). His other name is Muktishwar. He has destroyed the pride of Yama. If anyone dies in that holy land, Yama’s law cannot bind him.

(3) Sri Kapalmochan Shiv – This temple is situated near the South gate of Sri Jagannath temple. It is said that previously Brahma had 5 heads. Sri Mahadev has severed one of those heads but he could not disassociate that severed head from his hand. When Mahadev did not get shelter anywhere in heaven, earth and lower planetary worlds, he went to Sri Purushottam, which is known to be Vaikuntha on this earth, and took shelter to Sri Jagannathdev. Only then he got rid of the sin incurred due to killing of a Brahmin (brahma-hatya-dosh). That is why he is named 'Kapalmochan’. He resides in Sri Kshetra and sings the glories of Sri Jagannathdev. He is most prominent among the five secretaries as well as gate keepers of Sri Jagannathdev.

(4) , (5) On the South-Western side of the Banyan tree, Markandeya muni has constructed a landing stage named Markandeya-ghat and worshipped Sri Purushottam’s beloved lord Siva upon His instruction. At this place, both Sri Makandeyeswar and Sri Nilkantheswar are situated.

The Celebrations

This Chandan-Yatra festival is celebrated for 21 days. At various locations along the way between Sri Jagannathdev’s temple and Narendra sarovar, many pavilions are made and decorated with leaves, flowers and fruits. Sri Madanmohan boards the palanquin and while traveling to Narendra sarovar He takes rest, accepts offerings and enjoys the singing and dancing after arriving at each of the pavilions. After that He reaches the Narendra sarovar. In the heart of Sri Narendra sarovar, Sri Lakshmi and Saraswati board a nicely decorated boat along with Sri Madanmohan. The ministers, 5 Mahadevas and Sri Ramkrishna board in another boat. In the first boat devadasis offer their dance and in the later small boys known as ‘natua-pilar’ dance.

There are three temples in the Narendra sarovar. At the center of the biggest temple a well is situated. The water fetched from that well is used to bathe Sri Madanmohan, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Saraswati. In the second temple, Sri Ramkrishna and in the third the five Mahadevas stay. The Deities are worshipped and offerings are made. The banks of the pond and the three temples are decorated and garlanded with lights. After the festival concludes, the Deities board the seven palanquins and return to the temple. They reach the destination in the second part of the night.

Everyday Sri Madanmohan is decorated and garmented differently. Another name for Chandan-Yatra is Gandhalepan (smearing of sandalwood paste) yatra.

On the 20th day of Chandan-Yatra, the vijaya-vigrahas go for a pleasure trip in the waters of Sri Narendra sarovar and on the 21st day, turmeric waters are sprinkled on the two boats.

The Power of Transcendental Remembrance

Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Who is the combined manifestation of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna, is worshipped in Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Gaudiya Math and Sri Chitanya Gaudiya Math and by all the scriptures that propagate pure devotion. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had performed the pastimes for the first 24 years of His life in Sri Mayapur and the remaining 24 years in Sri Jagannath Dham, Puri.

A detailed history of Sri Chandan-Yatra festival as observed in Sri Jagannath Dham, Puri, which is to be meditated upon with devotion, has been written in this article. It is impossible for an ordinary person to comprehend those pastimes. The glories of Sri Purushottam Dham, where Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu performed His last pastimes, can never be understood by any common man. But there is no reason to get disappointed. One gets the actual benefit in all circumstances only by the power of transcendental remembrance.