New Odia Book Baishi Pahacha By Pandit Daityari Mohapatra

Baisi Pahacha is a combination of two words Baisi and Pahacha. In local Odia language Baisi means 22 and Pahacha means Step, so 'Baisi Pahacha means 22 Steps. These 22 steps found at the Simha Dwara, the Lions gate of Lord Jagannath temple, Puri. After entering the Lions' gate of the temple, devotees have to climb these 22 holy steps to reach the second inner gate,after passing the second gate they will reach the courtyard from where they can get into the main temple to see Lord Jagannath.

According to belief, all sins of the devotees disappear who touch these steps even once, so devotees usually touch these 22 steps in hand while climbing them and also allowed their children to slowly roll over these steps from the top to the bottom in expectation of spiritual bliss. Pilgrims get a sense of fulfillment after putting a fleck of dust from the surface of these 22 steps on their forehead. Width of the middle 15 steps varies from 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet3 inches and the rise is 6 inches to 7 inches. The size of the remaining 7 steps is smaller in length and width. A black color stone known as 'Yama Shila' is engraved in the middle of the 3rd step. As per the belief, devotees must step on this stone while going up the steps because it frees themfrom 'Yama Danda' (Punishment of Yama, the God of death), ' but must not step on this stone on their way back since it will take away all the 'Punya'.