Dasia Bauri's story is an inspiring tale of faith and devotion to Lord Jagannatha, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. Dasia was born into the Bauri caste, which was considered "untouchable" and therefore shunned by the upper-caste people in his village. Despite the social stigma and discrimination, Dasia lived a pious life, chanting prayers to the Lord and performing acts of devotion.
Dasia's unwavering faith in Lord Jagannatha gradually deepened, and he stopped engaging in physical labor to dedicate all his time to spiritual practices. This behavior caused discomfort for his family members and was not appreciated by the upper caste people in his village, who regarded it as a violation of social norms.
However, Dasia's devotion to Lord Jagannatha was so strong that he was undeterred by the societal pressures and continued to seek the Lord's blessings. Unfortunately, due to his lower caste status, he was not allowed to enter the temple premises to pray to the Lord.
But, Dasia's faith and devotion to Lord Jagannatha were unshaken, and he found a way to offer his prayers to the Lord. One day, when a group of upper-caste devotees from his village planned to visit the Jagannatha temple in Puri, Dasia plucked a green coconut from his tree and gave it to a Brahmin young man from the village. He instructed him to offer it to Lord Jagannatha on his behalf and to only give it to the Lord if he personally took it from his hand. Dasia was confident that the Lord would accept it.
The young man was initially surprised by Dasia's request, as it was customary for offerings to be given to the priest who would then offer them to the deity with ritualistic observances. Moreover, Dasia belonged to a very low caste, so it seemed unlikely that the Lord would accept his offering in such a manner. However, someone in the group suggested taking a chance since Dasia had sent the offering with so much devotion.
When the group reached the temple and had a darshana of the gods, the young man remembered Dasia's request and silently showed the coconut to Lord Jagannatha, murmuring Dasia's words. To everyone's amazement, a gigantic hand extended from the bejeweled sanctum sanctorum of the Lord, like the trunk of a gigantic Elephant, and took the coconut. The crowd of devotees was stunned by this supernatural event, which demonstrated Dasia's great devotion to Jagannatha and the Lord's affection for his ardent devotees.
The experience transformed Dasia's life, and he felt the presence of Lord Jagannatha in every aspect of his life. He forgot about the misery of the world and continued to lead a devoted life. The story of Dasia Bauri's unwavering faith and devotion to Lord Jagannatha serves as a reminder of the power of faith and the rewards of unwavering devotion.
"Bhakta Dasia Bauri Pitha" is a notable destination to visit in Puri and is associated with the Sri Jagannath Cult. It can be easily accessed by anyone as it is located 34 kilometers from Bhubaneswar in the direction of Puri on NH 316. Near the National Highway, there is a gate located towards the west, which is meant for Bhakta Dasia Bauri. He was born in the village of Baligaon, which is located 3 kilometers away from NH 316 and belongs to the Pipli Block and Constituency in Puri District. After passing the Pipli Applique Centre and Mangalpur, you will reach the gate leading to Bhakta Dasia Bauri Pitha.