 The state of Orissa stretches along the eastern coastline of India. Celebrated for a lot more than its splendid beaches along the Bay of Bengal, its most famous city is Puri. An ancient Hindu pilgrimage, Puri, has for long been famous for the temple of Lord Jagannath, a unique jewel of the faith. Its rich and eventful history dates back as early as the 3rd century BC. The myriad reflections in Puri's heritage appear in architecture and sculpture, in fine arts and crafts, in dance and music. The culture of Puri for centuries has been continually renewing and rejuvenating itself through its several rituals, its colorful festivals, its living traditions. Early during the monsoon it hosts Rathu Jatra, the world famous chariot festival. At the height of the monsoon comes Jhulan, the swing festival, and the boat festival in the summer is called Chandanjatra. Virtually every Puri festival is in some manner connected to the traditions and rituals of the temple and the myths surrounding its presiding deity, Lord Jagannath. Familiar motifs, ricka even in local paintings, and in the themes depicting the happenings and the festivities. In Puri's busy calendar of festivals around the year, the one that is significantly different in character and pattern is the spring carnival called Sahijatra, locally called Saiyato. Saiyato is celebrated during the month of April or Chaitra every year over a fortnight or 11 nights to be precise. It begins on Ramnabhumi, the birthday of Lord Rama. The outstanding feature of Sahijatra is the long winding grand procession that crawls through crossroads, transformed into arenas by the performers. They enact the Nagas and the Merhaws of various gods, goddesses and demons through a unique combination of acrobatics, dances and tablo. In Sahijatra, classical dance is preserved through a blend with martial arts and stunt techniques. Sahijatra presents the world's largest open-air theatre with virtually a thousand actors participating in the street play, partially militant in content but on religious themes chosen from mythology. The stories are sourced mainly from the Ramayana and sometimes from the Mahabharata and the Dashavatara myth of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The act of performing the Nrshingavatar has particular significance. The fort avatar of Lord Vishnu, the god is represented as half man and half lion. The name refers to the Sahis or Puri's streets and localities and to Jatra that means festival or play. The performance of the street theatrical happening starts late in the evening and continues till daybreak. Sometimes a morning procession appears as well but only with acrobats and other physical performers. Even older performers, often pushing to 80 years of age, come forward to exhibit prowess and muscle power with the nijam, an instrument that weighs 50 kilograms. Human settlements in Puri have grown around the seven major Sahis or localities, all located around the Jagannath temple. They are the main organizers of the Sahijatra with more than 40 further Sahis under them. Each Sahi contributes its own group of performers inspired by a strong sense of competition with those from the other Sahis. Each particular festival day is assigned to different ones among the seven major Sahis. The interesting thing is every Sahi has a Sahi for competition. Badi Sahi is called Badi Sahi. So the procession of Sahijatra from a Sahi, from a locality goes to its Badi Sahi in a competitive spirit. The most visually-arresting actor in the cast is the Naga, represented by a whole cult of Hindu holy men, a symbol of vigor and power, dressed like a warrior. Weapons, like a shield, dagger and knife, are placed around his body. A bead rosary adorns his neck. A bamboo mat is tied to his back. A heavy headgear crowns his head. The decoration of the character of the Naga is never seen anywhere else. Makeup and costume for the Naga is a painstaking and laborious affair. Only a well-built man can be cast in the role to carry the heavy attire and accoutements. Almost similar to the Naga is the characterization of Parasuram. Parasuram is the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Parasuram shares the power and the vigor of the Naga and symbolizes justice, often with ruthlessness and violence. History of the holy city, the scene of many conflicts and battles, is reflected in the warrior-like manifestations of physical might in these characters. One of the oldest festivals of Puri, Sahi Jatra, is believed to go back to 1230 AD. At that time, the Meghanath Prachid, a massive boundary wall which now surrounds the Jagannath temple, had not been built and it was the duty of the local people to protect the temple from its enemies. Strong young men were hand-picked and trained to form the vanguard of the vigilantes who fought to save the temple. According to available records, Chorogongadeb, the king of Puri in the 11th century, developed many forts, bastions and gymnasiums to protect the holy city of Puri from invaders and infidels. The monarchical tradition still continues in the symbolic form of the Gajapati Maharaja, who is still revered as the king of Puri. He is, in fact, the principal Shebako, or servant, of Lord Jagannath and the temple. The royal residence is called Nahar, or palace, in the local tongue. The king still plays a vital role in the religious festivals. Each Sahi has its own Jagahara, and around 80 of them in Puri were established to form the nucleus for the protection of the temple. Jagaharas were originally set up to empower the youth force physically, preparing them to encounter the invading external forces and to protect the temple of Lord Jagannath and Puri. Jaga in Odia means place, but some believe that the word Jaga is derived from the Sanskrit word Jagaran, that means arousal or awakening. Jagaharas are meeting places for the community, with facilities to encourage physical fitness and musical skills, to relax and enrich both mind and body. Each Jagahara has a pond, an adequate space for musical practice and physical exercise. The presiding deity in a Jagahara is usually the ape god Hanuman, or sometimes goddess Durga. Since Hanuman is the god of masculinity, women are not allowed into Jagaharas. During the Sahi Jatra, the traditional weapons of the Jagaharas are taken out into the street in the grand procession, and their wrestlers get an opportunity to display their strength and skill. Now these Jagaharas have become a healthy site. My humble opinion is one should visit Jagana temple, but he must not miss to visit a couple of Jagaharas, to feel the pulse of the life of Puri. So one should never miss to visit a Jagahara, he can feel the air of Puri, the vibration of Puri. The ambience of Puri is clearly visible in the Sahi Jatra, where actors perform with power, vigor and talent. Like the Durga made, Goddess Durga is portrayed either as Chotur Bhuja with four hands, or Ashto Bhuja with eight hands, or Dosa Bhuja with ten hands, and Athhara Bhuja with eighteen hands. The excessive physical strain in the hot and sultry April summer sometimes demands a break or rest, but the actor never retires or accepts defeat. He gets up to perform again in a show of power, reluctant to take defeat. That is the spirit of Puri and the festival. Puri has traditionally believed in the good life and in the aggressive display of Bravado. The highlight of the festival is the recreation of the Tandov dance by Lord Shiva, a dramatic episode from Hindu mythology. Building up stamina and perfection to perform needs vigorous practice and dedication. Strict training is conducted by veteran gurus. Young men forego their personal lives, leaving behind the luxuries and comforts of their homes. To live for months of celibacy at the Jagaghara. Jagaghara's impart training almost throughout the year, but it is intensive during the two months of preparation before the Sahi Jatra. We all are in the same place, but all of us together are in the same place, in the same time we are in the same place, together. All of us are in the same place, so to say, we are in the same place, and we all work together, we all work together. A modern lifestyle is gradually taking over in Puri, like elsewhere, But its youth still maintains the traditions of passion, dedication and hard work. Regular practice and dedication is equally demanding for the singers and the musical accompanists. Rigorous practice and training is what is required from these passionate actors. Fathers who used to perform in their youth have high hopes that their sons will follow the tradition and help to prepare them for the play. The preparation to play Ravan is particularly demanding. The character of the demon Ravan is a celebrity and the actor must carry out rituals directly at the temple of Lord Jagannath. He must complete his worship of Lord Vishnu, of whom Jagannath is a form before performing on the streets. The other nine extra heads and the twenty hands are fixed to a wooden plank or tati which weighs almost 40 kilograms and must be carried as the actor chants lokas in Sanskrit. In Puri and especially in Sahijatra, Ravan is adored and revered. His significance is even greater than the apical hero Rama and supporters like Lakshman and Hanuman, Angadha and Sugrib, among others. For a month before the festival, Ravana must follow a strict vegetarian diet. The actor playing Ravana does not dance but he moats and carries himself in a traditional style expressing Virata that connotes power and courage. Ravana is a vital character in Sahijatra. His rituals with Lord Jagannath connect him directly with the faith and a significant religious legacy. He must also express such a strong sense of devotion to Lord Ravana so that the person can always be dedicated to the protection of his own existence and the protection of the human beings. A folk legend by himself, Horiharsau, popularly known as Horino, is almost 70 years old. In his youth he played the role of Naga for many years and its replica is still a permanent fixture on his bicycle. Almost perpetually caught in a trance, he cannot distance himself from the legacy he carries. Traditional ornaments of the Naga are still part of his dress. Sahi Yatra through the centuries has come to represent a cult where a fusion has been created between physical prowess and musical skills. A fusion that takes its strength from the common people of Puri, right at the street level.