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Nabakalebar (नवकलेवर)

updated Feb 02, 2026, 12:46 AM | 👤 Ekata Samantaray

There are many supernatural greatness of Bhagwan Jagannath in Jagannath temple. Among them, Nabakalevar is a very big supernatural festival. The idols of Bhagwan Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Bhagwan Balabhadra are changed every 12 years. There is a change from old idols to new idols and old idols are attained salvation.

At the time of change, the lights of the entire city are switched off. After the lights are turned off, the army of crpf surrounds the temple premises from all sides. At that time no one can go to the temple. Dense darkness remains inside the temple. The priest's eyes are bandaged. There are gloves in the hands of the priest. He takes out the "Brahma substance" from the old idol and puts it in the new idol. What is this Brahma substance, till date no one knows. No one has seen it till date. For thousands of years, it has changed from one idol to another.

This is a supernatural substance, just by touching it, the rags of a person's body fly away. This Brahma substance is related to Bhagwan Shri Krishna. But what it is, no one knows. This whole process happens once every 12 years. And it is called Nabakalevar. It is known from this Nabakalebar that a human being, Bhagwan, someone who is in the mortal world is never immortal, one day one has to attain salvation. But the soul is always immortal.

This is also mentioned in the Gita:
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः। न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥

But till date no priest has been able to tell what is this supernatural substance in the idol of Mahaprabhu Jagannath.

नवकलेवर हिन्दी में पढ़ें

जगन्नाथ मंदिर में भगवान जगन्नाथ की कई अलौकिक महानताएं हैं। इनमें नवकलेवर एक बहुत बड़ा अलौकिक पर्व है। भगवान जगन्नाथ, देवी सुभद्रा और भगवान बलभद्र की मूर्तियों को हर 12 साल में बदल दिया जाता है।

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What happens to old idols during nabakalebar and how are new idols found?

Nabkalebar happens every 12 years Nab means new and kalebar means body. Before the Nabkalebar ceremony begin there are so many mysterious things that happen. Bhagwan Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, Prabhu Balram murti and Sudarshan are made from Neem wood so Bhagwan is also called “Darubramha”. It marks the demise and rebirth of Bhagwan at Puri. The event involves the installation of new murti’s in the Jagannath temple and the burial of the old ones in the temple premises at Koili Baikuntha.

The mystery behind New Idol’s making:
Bhagwan Jagganath’s head priest gets the dream to find out the exact neem tree to prepare idols. After that Daitapati’s (Bhagwan’s Sevak) went to find out the exact neem tree.

Rules to find out the neem tree:
☸ That neem tree should not be a nest for any bird
☸ The neem tree must be nearer to any samshan ghat
☸ The tree should be free of parasitic plants and creepers.
☸ The tree must have any symbol of Bhagwan’s astra, sastra for example: symbol of conch, chakra, gada, lotus, hal etc.
☸ The tree should not be broken or cut.

After getting all the above signs daitapati’s cut that neem tree and bring it to Jagannath dham. From that neem wood only bhagwan idol’s made. To perform all the rituals daitapati sevaks keep away themselves from home and stay in the jungle, eat only sakahari, maintain brahmacharya vrat for 21 days.

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