Update on Nabakalebara Commemorative Coin Release

The Government of India will be issuing commemorative coin with denominations of ₹1000 and ₹10 to mark the Shree Jagannath Nabakalebara Festival. The Ministry of Finance issued the official gazette notification on July 5, 2017, confirming the release of this theme.

Nabakalebara is a symbolic ritual involving the recreation of the wooden forms of the four deities at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. In this tradition, the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshana are periodically renewed. The ceremony is observed every 8th, 12th, or 19th year following the previous Nabakalebara.

The year for Nabakalebara is determined using the Hindu lunar calendar, specifically by identifying a year that has two Ashadhas (Doashadhas)—the month of Ashadha with two full moons. To balance the lunar and solar years, every three years a lunar month, known as Adhimasa or Malamasa, is inserted. A year with an extra Ashadha month is considered highly auspicious for conducting the ceremony, which typically occurs once every twelve to nineteen years.

During the festival, the four deities are carved from a special type of neem wood called Daru Bramha. Preparations begin in the month of Chaitra, with rituals and crafting undertaken with great care and devotion. The most recent Nabakalebara was held in 2015, with the previous one taking place in 1996, reflecting the grandeur and rare significance of this centuries-old tradition.

The ₹1000 coin will be made of a silver alloy, consisting of 80% silver and 20% copper. It will weigh 35 grams, have a diameter of 44 mm, and feature 200 serrations along the edge. The ₹10 coin, on the other hand, will be bi-metallic, with an outer ring of aluminum bronze and a center of copper-nickel. It will weigh 7.74 grams, have a diameter of 27 mm, and feature a plain edge. The full specifications of the coins are as follows.

Obverse: The face of the coin shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar in the center with the legend "सत्यमेव जयते" inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word “भारत” in Devanagari script and on the right periphery with the word “INDIA” in English. It shall also bear the Rupee symbol “₹” and denominational value in the international numerals below the Lion Capitol.

Reverse: This face of the coin shall bear the image of “Shree Jagannath” in the centre, with inscription "श्री जगन्नाथ नबकलेबर २०१५” in Devanagri script on upper periphery and the lower periphery shall bear the inscription "Shree Jagannath Nabakalebara 2015” in English. The symbol of Neelachakra with flag shall be on left and right periphery of the coin.

This will be the second commemorative coin with a ₹1000 denomination, following the 1000 Years of Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur coin released in 2010. The possibility and upcoming coins page have been updated for your reference.