What is Saradha Bali of Puri?
The Bank of Malini River which filled with sand known as Saradha Bali of Puri. Sharadha Bali is the part of Puri Bada Danda. It is in front of the Shree Gundicha temple.
Ancient time a river named Malini flowed in Puri Badadanda. The River divided Gundicha temple and Lord Jagannath temple into two parts.
Later the river filled with sand to create a direct connection between the two temples. (Shree Gundicha temple and Lord Jagannath temple).
The Milan River is a tributary of the Bhargavi River. The mouth of the River closed with sand and it is currently known as Banki Muhan.
Why did it call Saradha Bali of Puri?
The Shraddha Bali is a combination of two words. One is “Saradha” and the other is “Bali”. Bali is an Odiya language word that means “Sand”.
The queen of the Gakapati Maharaja Vanudev named Saradha Devi. She filled the Malini River with Bali (Sand) in the 13th century. She is able to connect the Gundicha temple direct with the Jagannath temple.
So the Puri King Gajapati Maharaja was very happy. The king has renamed the place Saradha Bali to remember the great work of the queen.
Why Malini River filled with Sand at Puri?
Thousands of years ago there was a river flow through the Puri Badadanda. It divided Puri Badanda into two parts. During Rath Yatra, the Chariots are not direct reached the Shree Gundicha temple.
During Rath Yatra, King Indradyumna first built 06 Rath (Chariots). He took the deities in 03 Rath to the Banks of the Malini River.
Then took the idols in three large boats on the river and took them to the side of the Gundicha temple. Then he used other 03 chariots from the riverbank and took them to the temple.
So it was very difficult to pull the chariot in the sand and to make six chariots every year.
What is the role of Queen Saradha Devi?
The queen Saradha Devi thought to resolve the difficulty faced during Rath yatra. In the 13th century, she approached the Gajapati Maharaja Vanudev to fill the Malini River with sand. So the three chariots could have gone straight to the Gundicha temple.
When Vanudev heard this, he smiled and said, “Have you got a headache? Is it so easy to fill the river?”
The queen said, “Give me some money from the treasury.” I will go and start sanding the river.
Yet the king could not believe the queen’s words. Finally, the queen said, “We have started the work of sand filling. Then our next generation can ever do this work.
So give me the responsibility of doing this work. At last, Gajapati agreed to the queen’s words and started sanding the river.
“Before the Rath yatra that year, the Malini River filled in the sand. Gajapati astonished and very happy with the great work of the queen. Then the king renamed the place Saradha Bali to rememorize the holy thought of the queen.
Conclusion
Saradha Bali of Puri is a holy place. It is the Bank of River Malini which flows in the Puri town thousands of years ago.
The Chariots of Lord Jagannath stands in the Sardha Bali during Rath yatra. So the Sand of Sardha Bali is very auspicious. The devotees put the holy sand in their head and body to get the blessing of the Lord Jagannath.
The queen Saradha Devi in the 13th century fills the river with sand. After that, the two temples are direct connected to each other.
I write this ancient history of Lord Jagannath which is unknown to the people. It is the information to the current generation that everything is possible in the world. You need to set your vision and thought clear and the Supreme Power is always with you.
“JAY JAGANNATH”
Pandit Rashmi Ranjan Rath is a Vedic researcher and also recognized by the Lord Jagannath Temple administration, Puri as a “Shree Jagannath Sanskruti Pracharak” in the year 2013. He has visited four Dhams of India for creating Lord Jagannath consciousness Worldwide. He is also the founder of “Baidika Brahamana Parisada Odisha”.