Math and Ashram, Puri - 2

Mangu Matha 

It is located by the side of the Emar Matha. It is associated with the memory of Guru Nanak, Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney. This Matha supplies a ram for 'bali' (sacrifice) before  the Goddess Bimala, each  year on Mahanabami night. There is another Matha of Guru Nanak sect, known as Baaul Matha. 

The  other Maths connected with the affairs  of Sri Jagannath  temple  are  Sri   Ram Das (Dakhina parshaw) Matha, Uttara parshaw Matha, Trimali Matha, Mahiprakash Matha, Sankarananda Matha Gangamata Matha, Gangamata Matha, Radhaballav Matha, Labanikhia Matha, Chhauni Matha, Jhadu Matha, Papudia Matha, Nebal Das Matha, Devagiri Matha, Pipili Sadabarta Matha, Sanachhata Matha, Jhanjapita Matha, Samadhi Matha, Balaram Kota Matha, Badasantha Matha, Ramji Matha, Sidhabakula Matha, Venkatachari Matha, Narasinghachari Matha, Ghumusara Matha, (now in ruins), Radhakanta Matha, (Sri Chaitanya visited Puri in 1510 AD and stayed in this Matha. Some of his personal belongings have been preserved in this Matha), Consolidating Private Student Loans. Kothabhog Matha, Mahabir Matha etc. The mahantas of these Matha are entitled to perform 'Upachara Chamara seva, but most of them are not doing the seva. The Mathas are under the control of State Endowment Commissioner. There are two Mathas under the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee. They are Chaulia Matha and Delhi Nalak Ram Das Matha (near Gundicha temple). There is another Matha known as Sata lahadi Matha in the Swargadwar area. It is the burial place of Atibadi Jagannath Das, author of the Bhagabata purana in Oriya. This Matha is being managed by a committee under the Chairmanship of Collector, Puri. Another Matha located in the same area is the Kabir choura  Matha, associated with  the  Kabir sect. It is said that Kabir, the mystic poet stayed here when he visited Puri. There are some other Matha unconnected with the rituals of the Jagannath temple like Chaitanya Goudiya     Matha, Purusottam Goudiya Matha, Panjabi Matha etc. Many Mathas have stopped performing services in the temple and those who perform now,do so  to  a limited extent. Some of the Mathas are entitled to get 'Khei' (a portion of the Kotha bhog) of the temple. 

Outside Puri town, there is another Matha in the Kakatpur village area, known as Deuli Matha which is connected with the Nabakalebar ceremony of the temple. 

The Four Ashrams 

Connected with certain rituals of the temple of Jagannath, there are four Ashrams (hermitages) in Puri town. These are Angira Ashram, Pandu Ashram, Markandeya Ashram and Parasara (Ugrasena) Ashram. 

On the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Sravana, the Nrusimha deity of the Sri Jagannath temple pays a visit in a ceremonial manner to these four Ashrams. This is called ‘Badi Nrusimha bije’. 'Sital bhog' is offered to the Deity in each Ashram. On the full moon day of Margasira, Nrusimha again visits these places. On the full moon day of Sravana, Lord Sudarshan visits all   these Ashrams. These Ashrams are being managed by different local committees. 

There are some other Ashrams not ritually connected with the Sri Jagannath temple. Some of those Ashrams are Bijaya Krushna Goswami Ashram (near  the Narendra tank), Adwait Brahmashram (Girinarbanta), Omkarnath Thakur or Neelachal Ashram (Swargadwar area), Karar Ashram (founded by the great  Kriya yogi Sri Yukteswar Giri, (Swargadwar area) Bharat Sevashram (Swargadwar area), Pranabananda Ashram (near Chakratirtha), Satsangha Ashram (Chakratirtha road), Nigamananda Ashram (Lokanath road), Dibyadham Yogashram (Chakratirtha road), Maa Anandayamayi  Ashram (near Swargadwar), Abhiram Paramahanshashram (marichikote lane), Bhagabat   Ashram (near bus stand), Haridas Ashram (Sarbodaya nagar).