Dayana Chori Ritual is celebrated on Chaitra Sukla Trayodasi and Chaturdasi Tithi i.e. the 13th and 14th day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra (March-April). As per the tradition, Jagannath Mahaprabhu had forcibly collected Dayana leaves from the Nandana garden of Lord Indra and had worn them in his hands. This festival is observed in memory of the said incident. The representative deities like Lord Rama and Lord Krushna are taken in a procession to the celebrated garden of the Jagannath Ballabha Matha, where the deities pick up their dear Dayana leaves unnoticed by anybody and on the 14th day the leaves are offered to the deities. This is also known as Damanaka Chaturdasi.
ଚୈତ୍ରମାସି ସିତେପକ୍ଷେ ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଧଶ୍ୟା ବିଶେଷତଃ ।
ଶ୍ରୀକୃଷ୍ଣସ୍ୟ ଚ ପ୍ରୀତ୍ୟର୍ଥଂ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟଂ ଦମନକାର୍ପଣମ ।
