Gokarna is a sacred hub for Narayanbali Pooja due to its spiritual significance. The rituals performed here are believed to bring ultimate peace to departed souls. The Mahabaleshwar Temple and the divine Atma-Linga create an auspicious environment for appeasing ancestors and resolving PitruDosha.
Narayana Bali Pooja is a ritual described in Garuda Purana which is performed in all cases of unnatural death of a family member. Death can be caused by various reasons such as suicide, murder, starvation, accident, animals, arson, curse, drowning, and unusual diseases which cause untimely death.
It is also performed for those who were great sinners. There is neither ritual for cremation, nor tarpana, nor sraddha, nor asaucham for such people. Narayan Bali consists of the same rituals as a Hindu funeral but shortened to three days instead of the customary thirteen. A Brahmin priest at Trimbakeshwar, experienced in conducting these rituals, is engaged by the family performing the ritual.
Five rituals are offered to Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Yama, and Preta. The ritual for Brahma is not known by Brahmins outside Trimbakeshwar. A dummy body, mostly made of wheat dough, is used. Vedic Mantras are chanted to invoke the lost souls. It is believed that the ritual makes the souls of the dead possess the dummy body, which is later set alight, allowing the soul to liberate and transcend.
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