It was 8th century AD. Srikhetra Puri was the luminescence of faith of Hindus. Its prominence and wealth became an eye sore for Raktavahu. He decided to plunder Puri and the temple of Shree Jagannath. Along with his army of plunderers he took up a sea voyage to reach Puri. King Sobhandeva, who was ruling Odisha then, was unable to check the entry of Raktavahu. Sobhandeva was defeated.
Save the Lord:
Even after his defeat the Odia king made all efforts to save the deities from the desecration at the hands of the invader. Sobhandeva with help of some of his close associates fled from Puri along with the deities of Shree Jagannath temple. To keep the deities away from the eyes of spies of Raktavahu, he preferred to take them to Sonepur region at the western frontier of Odisha. The deities were hidden at a secluded hilly jungle region named Gopali. Initially they were worshipped at the place. But as the fear of getting discovered increased, the deities were buried underground.
Second Indradyumna:
The deities remained buried at the place for around 144 years till the reign of Somavamsi king Yayatikeshari-I. The remnants of the buried deities were dug out from the place. Yayati-I performed performed ‘Navakalebara’ of the deities in Puri. The new idols of Shree Jagannath, Shree Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Shree Sudarshan were ceremonially re-established in a new temple measuring 38 cubits in height. So, Yayatikeshari is regarded as the ‘Second Indradyumna’.
Gopali village with historic remnants still exists in Soneput district. The place where the deities were kept buried for more than a century is known as ‘Patali Shreekhetra’.
Who was Raktavahu:
‘Madalapanji’, the chronicle of Shree Jagannath temple mentions the details of Raktavahu’s invasion. Eminent historian Prof. K.C. Panigrahi has identified Raktavahu as Rastrkuta king Govinda-III and Sobhandeva with Subhakaradeva-I of Bhaumakara dynasty. Archeological evidences hint that Rastrakuta king Govinda-III (AD 798-814) conquered Kosala, Kalinga, Vanga, Dahala and Odraka. Prof. Panigrahi states that Rastrakuta King’s invasion of Orissa took place during the reign of Subhakaradeva-I or Sobhanadeva.