The holy city Puri in Odisha witnessed the deeply symbolic and emotionally charged ritual of Hera Panchami on the fifth day of the ongoing Rath Yatra celebrations. This traditional observance represents Goddess Lakshmi’s longing and divine love for her consort, Lord Jagannath, who is currently staying at Shree Gundicha Temple with his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. It has been four days since the sibling deities were ceremonially taken in grand processions from the Shree Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, located around 3 km away. On the fifth day, which is known as Hera Panchami, Goddess Lakshmi symbolically expresses her displeasure and heartache due to Lord Jagannath’s prolonged absence.

As part of this sacred ritual, the Goddess is carried in a beautifully decorated palanquin from the Shree Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple by dedicated servitors. However, in keeping with the tradition, she is not granted a meeting with the Lord. Instead, the Pati Mahapatra, a temple servitor, on behalf of Lord Jagannath, offers her the ‘Agyan Mala’, a garland that serves as a symbolic token of assurance that the Lord will return to Srimandir in three days.

Overwhelmed by separation and frustration, Goddess Lakshmi retaliates by breaking a part of the Nandighosha chariot, which remains parked in front of the Gundicha Temple. This act of divine protest is a key highlight of the Hera Panchami ritual and is steeped in spiritual symbolism and deep emotion. After the ritual, instead of returning through the grand Bada Danda (Grand Road), Goddess Lakshmi takes a secret route known as ‘Hera Gohri Sahi’ to go back to the Jagannath Temple, avoiding public attention and symbolizing her quiet dignity and emotional restraint.

The term ‘Hera’ means "to see" or "to search" in Odia, and ‘Panchami’ refers to the fifth day of the Rath Yatra festival. The ritual embodies the spiritual yearning and devotion of Goddess Lakshmi, representing her desire for unity and love. Before her departure for Gundicha Temple, tradition says she visits Bimala Devi, a fierce form of the Goddess, who gives her ‘Moha Churna’, a sacred powder said to hypnotize Lord Jagannath and ensure his swift return to Srimandir. This element of the story further adds layers of divine mysticism to the event.

Thousands of devotees and pilgrims gather in Puri during this time to witness this powerful drama of divine love, devotion, and separation, which is both culturally rich and spiritually moving. Hera Panchami also marks the beginning of the preparations for the return journey of the deities, known as Bahuda Yatra. As per the tradition, the three chariots will soon undergo the ‘Dakshina Moda’ or South Turn ritual and will be repositioned facing the Nakachana Dwara (South Gate) on Wednesday, indicating the start of the journey back to the main temple. This unique ritual continues to captivate and spiritually uplift devotees, reinforcing the eternal bond of love between Lord Jagannath and Goddess Lakshmi and celebrating the sacred relationship between the divine and the devotees.