Gajapati Ramchandra Deva II, an 18th-century ruler of Utkal (Odisha) known for converting to Islam under Mughal pressure to protect the Jagannath Temple and its devotees, later relinquished his kingdom and life in sacrifice.

He was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. Every day, while staying at the Puri Rajabati (royal palace), he visited the Puri temple without fail to offer prayers.

But during this time, Odisha was under the Mughals, and the Subedar of Cuttack was the cruel Takki Khan. His main target was to weaken Hindu power, destroy temples, especially the grand Jagannath Temple.

Takki Khan attacked Puri with his army. King Ramachandra Deva fought bravely but was defeated. He was captured and locked inside the Barabati Fort at Cuttack.

The king was not worried for himself, but he thought with deep sorrow: “What will happen to my Lord Jagannath if the temple is attacked?”

In the fort, something unexpected happened. Takki Khan’s sister, Rizia Bibi, saw the king and fell in love with him. To please his sister, Takki Khan made the king an offer: “If you marry my sister, I will release you and let you return to your throne.” The king thought carefully. People might think he was weak if he agreed just to save himself. But then he realized: “This is my chance to protect Lord Jagannath forever!” So he replied: “I will marry Rizia, but only if you promise never to attack the Jagannath Temple again, and you must protect the Lord.” Takki Khan agreed happily, because this marriage would make him the king’s brother-in-law.

To save Jagannath Temple from the attacks of the Mughals, King Ramachandra Deva married Rizia Bibi. But to do so, he had to accept Islam and was given a new name: Hafiz Qadir Beg.

When he returned to Khordha, his people were shocked. The temple priests declared him fallen and stopped him from entering the Jagannath Temple. He was no longer allowed to perform royal temple duties, like sweeping the chariot during Rath Yatra. Even his queens left him with their children. The king lived a lonely life. Though he had saved Lord Jagannath, society turned away from him.

But King Ramachandra Deva’s love for Lord Jagannath never faded. Many nights, while the world slept, he secretly rode his horse from Khordha to Puri. There, outside the Lion Gate (Singhadwar), he stood with folded hands and prayed tearfully: “O Jagannath! I fell only to save your honour. My heart still belongs to you. Please don’t abandon me!”

The king’s devotion was so deep that Lord Jagannath Himself could not bear his pain. It is said that Lord Jagannath came into the dream of a royal minister and commanded:  “Place My duplicate idol at the Lion Gate so that the King may see Me without entering the temple.”

Accordingly, an idol of Lord Jagannath was placed at the Lion Gate (Gumuta). Still, the Lord also left his golden throne at night and appeared at the Singhadwar to give darshan to his beloved devotee when he came. The next morning, the temple servants noticed something unusual - Lord’s clothes were disturbed, flowers were scattered - as if He had gone out during the night!

Finally, Lord Jagannath appeared in a dream to His servant Sanachhati Das and said: “Because you stopped My devotee, King Ramachandra Deva, from entering, I go out to meet him. From now on, I will remain at the Lion Gate so that all who are not allowed inside can still see Me.”

That form of the Lord, visible at the Singhadwar, came to be known as Patitapavan Jagannath, meaning “The Purifier of the Fallen.”

From that day onwards, everyone—whether Hindu or not, whether considered pure or fallen could see Patitapavan Jagannath at the temple gate. Lord Jagannath showed that his love is for all people, not just a few.

King Ramachandra Deva lived with sacrifice and sorrow, but his devotion was so pure that even today, the idol of Patitapavan Jagannath stands at the Singhadwar, blessing all devotees who cannot enter the temple