Bhubaneswar, June 29: Away from the bustling pilgrim town of Puri, a quiet village in Odisha's Khordha district has been preserving a centuries-old spiritual tradition through its looms. Rautapada, known for its skilled handloom weavers, has been weaving the sacred attire of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra throughout the year, playing a vital role in the rituals of the Shree Jagannath Temple.
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For over three decades, the village has remained the principal source of the divine garments worn by the Holy Trinity during various rituals and festivals. The tradition began in 1993 when master weaver Gopinath Chandra Das and his brother Gobinda Das were entrusted with the responsibility of weaving the deities' attire after the temple faced difficulties in procuring the garments on time. Since then, the sacred service has grown into a collective effort involving nearly 25 weaving families of the village.
The artisans meticulously weave both cotton and silk garments for the deities, following the temple's age-old customs and ritualistic specifications. Their creations include the colourful Khandua Patas worn on different days of the week, ceremonial attire for Snana Purnima, Rath Yatra, Bahuda Yatra and several other important festivals observed at the 12th-century shrine.
Among their finest creations is the revered ‘Geeta Govinda Khandua Pata’, traditionally offered during the Badasinghara Besha of the deities from Niladri Bije until Akshaya Tritiya. Adorned with intricate motifs and devotional symbolism, the sacred cloth is regarded as one of the most significant elements of the Trinity's nightly adornment.
The weaving process is entirely handloom-based and demands exceptional craftsmanship, patience and devotion. While cotton yarn is sourced locally, premium silk threads are carefully selected to meet the temple's traditional standards. In recent years, the weavers have also embraced ‘Karuna Silk’, a cruelty-free variety of silk, for weaving the Geeta Govinda Khandua, blending sustainability with age-old traditions.
