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Abhiseka - Coronation ceremony of the king; daily ablution of the deities. Adhikari - Proprietor, Superintendent.
Advaita - The philosophy of Non-dualism preached by Sankaracarya.
Adya Sevaka - First Servant; The Raja of Puri is regarded as the first servant of Jagannath. He performs the chera pamhara (sweeping the frontage of the chariots of the three deities by a golden broom¬stick after the sprinkle of scented water) during the car festival and certain other duties on other occasions like the Candana yatra, (consecration with sandal paste and beverage offering of sandal water) Snana yatra (bathing ceremony) and Do/a yatra (Swinging ceremony). He is the hereditary Superintendent of the temple, and at present, the Chairman of Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Com¬mittee under the provision of Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954.
Agamas - Works inculcating the mystical worship of Siva and Sakti.
Aga Mahunta - A log of wood fixed in front of each chariot to serve as its bumper.
Agni Sarma - Title of the senior Sevaka (Panda).
Akha - Axle ; each pair of wheels fixed to an axle.
Alama Candi - One among the eight Candis (wrathful goddesses guard¬ing the Sriksetra) standing near Atharanala before the Kumbharapada Police Station. The word 'alama is not Sanskrit ; hence its origin is obscure.
Amania paricha - The Supe vtsor to look into the food-stuff before it is served for puja to the dejtigs.
Amrta - Nectar, nectar-like food; that which confers immortality.
Amrta Manohi - The nectar-like food offering to the lord. It also denotes the landed property granted for the said purpose.
Aksaya Trtiya - The third day of the bright half of Vaisakha which is the first day of the Satya Yuga. Any auspicious rite performed on this day yields permanent result. The festival Candana yatra starts from this day and continues for three weeks.
Anasara or Anavasara - The word literally means absence of leisure. It is a period of rest for the deities, since none is allowed to get their darsan for a fortnight except their nearest attendants-the daitas. The deities are supposed to have sufferred from fever due to over-bathing on the Snana (Jyestha) Purnima day. Hence from that day onwards up to the first day of Asa'dha, they are kept under treatment in closed chamber far away from public view. The doors of the Temple are closed and locked and a screen matting of split bamboo is placed outside the doors. This is also a period to make up the images which get disfigured by large quantity of bathing water.
Anahgabhimadeva - Name of the Gahga King of Orissa in the 11th Century.
Anargharaghava Nataka - An important Sanskrit drama by Murari Misra who invokes the Purusottama to start His Yatra on chariot from the sea-shore.
Andhra pradesa - Province of Andhra or Name of an Indian State.
Anna Prasada - Cooked rice after being offered to Jagannath and taken by him.
Ahka - Regnal year of the Gajapati kings of Orissa. It begins from the 12th day of the bright half of Bha'dra (Aug-Sept). Ahka denotes numerical figures of which some are considered inauspicious and left out in counting, e.g. those ending in zero or with six (J. A. S. B 1983 P. 89)
Apsaras - Heavenly nymphs who inhabit the sky but often visit the earth. Fond of water they go in the waters of the clouds. They are the wives of the Gandharvas and have the facul|y of changing shapes at will.
Arcakas - Worshippers of deities in Andhra Pradesa.
Ardhasani - Name of the goddess who is one among the eight (Asta Candi) that are guarding the Sriksetra in their respective quarters. She dwells in a small temple which stands near the way to the Gundica sanctum. Being the Mother's sister of Jagannath she is popular as 'Mausi Ma'. She is called Ardhasani because she consumes half of the universe at the time of the cosmic deluge.
Aruna Stambha - It is a pillar named after Aruna, the charioteer of the sungod. It stands in front of the Lions Gate (Simhadvara) as a striking monument of marked elegance. It is a monolithic sixteen-sided polygonal column measuring 25' - 2". The distance from the top of the plinth to the bottom of the pillar is 21 ft. and the circumference is 6' 31 / 2". The height of the capital is 2' - 2". The total height from the ground level to the top of the capital is 33' - 8" including the pedestal which is of 7' -9" square and 6' height. It is accepted that this pillar was brought from the sun-temple of Konarka by the Maratha rulers.
Asadha - Lunar month corresponding to June - July.
Asrama - Hermitage ; the four stages of life in the Hindu canon.
Astadasa Siddhi - Eighteen siddhis or supernatural powers enumerated in the yoga- sastra.
Asta Sambhus - The eight Sivas guarding the eight quarters of Sriksetra namely Markandesvara Vilvesvara, Yamesvara, Nilakanthes'vara, Kapalamocana, Lokanath, Isanesvara and Patales'vara. They are well known as Asta Sambhus.
Asvadvara (Horse's gate) - It has on each side a galloping stallion of masonry work with the figures of Jagannath and Balabhadra on its back in full military array. These sculptures installed recently depict the legendary Kanchi Expedition of Jagannath and Balabhadra. The inner enclosure is approached by ten flights of steps made of Khon-dalite from the southern gateway of the outer enclosure.
Athagarh Zamindari - An ex-State Zamindari at Athagarh either in Ganjam district or near Cuttack.
Atharva Veda - One of the four Vedas revealed to the Aryans.
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