Chapter 1 - Introduction

Chhatra. So Purusottama-Puri was also expressed in the contracted form of Puri. In modern Period, this kṣetra became famous as Puri in the whole of India and abroad. 3. Socio-religious Conditions of the Kṣetra :- The kṣetra of Purusottama is mostly inhabited by the priests and other servitors of the temple of Lord Jagannatha. Probably people of all castes reside in the different parts of the kṣetra. According to tradition, people of the Kalingan society have been worshipping three gods viz the home deity, the village deity and the mass deity."¹ The home deity is the 'Iṣta-devi' or the Mother goddess of home who protects the family. She stays in a secret place of the residence. On each and every auspicious occasion she is to be worshipped first. Another deity is the village deity who is worshipped by the entire villagers. This deity generally resides in the boarder of the village. 22Besides these two types of deities another deity named mass deity i.e. ‘Rāstra devatā' or Loka devatā was being worshipped with deep reverence as the god of state. He was worshipped by the entire population of the state irrespective of caste, creed and colour. He is above all deities and also worshipped in the concept of a human being. That is why; He is a Greatman or Purusottama. This devatā required a large number of sevakas known as Niyogas. According to Mādaḷāpānji, the temple chronicle of Lord Jagannatha written in Oriya language, king Anangabhima Deva III of the Ganga dynasty had established 36 Niyogas known as Chatisa Niyoga (sevakas).23 The term Chatisa- Niyoga refers to thirty-six categories of servants (sevakas) employed in the sevice of Lord Purusottama (Jagannātha). Infact, at present Lord Jagannatha is being worshipped by the thirty-six categories of people (Chatis Niyogas) as it is assumed that there were 36 categories of people present in Śrīkṣetra and its vicinity. People of the kṣetra were divided into thirty-six categories as per their occupations. The names of all categories are mentioned below. They are viz Rajguru (Brāhmin), Purohita (temple priest), Mahājana, Khuṇtiä (who watches the deities), Mekāp ( in charge of store), Paḍhiārī ( in charge of guarding the temple), Daitā ( in charge of Anabasara and 5