Puri, July 11: The 'Hera Panchami Niti' will be conducted Thursday as Maa Mahalaxmi, wife of Lord Jagannath, will visit Shree Gundicha Temple. The 'Hera Panchami' is celebrated on the fifth day of the Rath Yatra.

During the holy Rath Yatra, Lord Jagannath, with his devine weapon Sri Sudarshana, comes out of his abode -- Srimandir -- in Puri, along with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra for a 9-day sojourn to the Shree Gundicha Temple, leaving behind his wife Maa Mahalakshmi at the Srimandir.

To vent out her anger on Lord Jagannath for being left behind, Maa Mahalakshmi heads to Shree Gundicha temple in a palanquin and asks Lord Jagannath to return back soon. 

To please Maa Mahalakshmi, Lord Jagannath offers her the 'Agyan Mala' (a garland of consent). However the servitors of Lord Jagannath close the main door of the Shree Gundicha Temple seeing Maa Mahalakshmi furious.

Insulted by the servitors' act, Maa Mahalakshmi heads back to Srimandir through the Nakachana Gate. 

In a unique ritual, Maa Mahalakshmi orders one of her attendants to damage a part -- i.e a wheel -- of the Nandighosa chariot. 

After some time, she returns to Srimandir through Hera Gouri Lane via Bada Danda (Grand Road). Later, all the three chariots -- Nandighosa, Taladhwaja and Darpadalana -- of the Holy Trinity are turned south towards the Srimandir for the return journey -- 'Bahuda Yatra'.

Read more: Rath Yatra news