The Gosani Yatra of Puri has its origin in the folk culture. This fact is evident from the local folk names, they bear such as Kakudikhai, Janhikhai, Barabati, Janhimundia, Sunya Gosani, Hadabai, Gelabai, Belabai etc. During Gosani Yatra, different types of other clay figures like Ravana lifting Kailash mountain, Demons, Nagas, Sampatti wooden toys etc. are also worshipped. Like Gosanis, gigantic images of Naga are also made and worshipped during the festival. These large male images symbolise heroism and valour. The Naga images represent the Akhada culture of Puri.
<p>Under Gosani Puja festival of Puri, several big clay idols of Mahisamardini Durga are worshipped every year in the month of Ashwina (October). Here the clay idols are made by using chikita mati (clay), gobara (cowdung) &amp; nadaa (paddy straw). It is to note that, this ‘Gosani Yatra’ is indigenous to the city of Puri, since no outer influence (unlike the influence from Kolkata) could be noticed, be it in clay model, decoration, colour application, postures, ornamentation &amp; even in the names of Gosanis. The artists use primary colours like hingula, sankha, geru and lamp black for colouring the deity. Gosani mostly looks yellowish &amp; light while demons look greenish or bluish. Unlike other Durga clay idols, the Gosani looks quite fiery with her eyes gazing downwards at the buffalo demon Mahisasura. She is seen pulling his hair with her hands, strangulating him with a serpent and piercing him with her trident, while kicking him in the chest, influenced by Mahisamardini sculptures found on the temple walls., specially the theriomorphic form of the demon. Strangely her vahan is not so in combat mood. Interestingly, the demon, in most cases, is depicted in theriomorphic (buffalo headed human) form &amp; while some in anthropomorphic (having human characteristics). The decoration of these Gosani Images is also different from Durga Idols of other localities. Originally, the crown, ornaments, attributes and the halo are being decorated with traditional Sola and Jari work.
</p><p>The word ‘Gosani’ is said to be derived from the Oriya word ‘Gosamani’, which means ‘aristocratic lady’, the wife of the owner (Goswami) , the brahmin lord (Gosein in Odia) or the paternal grand mother (Gosein Maa). In royal families of Odisha, the princess are called ‘Jemamani’. In this way the paternal great grandmother is called ‘Gosamani’. The local people believes the Gosanis as the saviour and nourisher of their locality and therefore, during Durga Puja festival they use to worship Gosani images in their respective Sahis (Street). The Gosanis represent several aspects of Mahisamardini Durga at Puri and worshipped during the Durga Puja festival. Every Gosani has a particular name to indicate her individuality &amp; belonging to a Sahi (lane), yet with some repeated names like Janhikhai, Harachandi etc. They are rather crude &amp; local, suggesting their connection to local tribes and villages and with their folk culture. Kakudikhai (she who eats cucumbers), Janhikhai (she who eats ridge gourd). Sunya Gosani fights the buffalo-demon in the sky. The Kantakadhi (thorn-removing) Banadurga stands with one raised leg.
</p>
On the following day of Dusshera the Goshanis from all the sahis (streets) come together in procession in front of Jagannath Temple to pay tribute to Lord Jagannath. This is known as 'Bhasani Yatra'. Huge crowd from puri and near by villages gather in front of Jagannath temple to celebrate Bhasanai Yatra. In late night the idols are taken for visarjana in the nearby rivers and Sea.
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Paramitaprajna&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Paramitaprajna (page does not exist)">Paramitaprajna</a>
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>