Puri, June 12: Following the sacred Deva Snana Purnima ritual, the sibling deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra were taken back to the sanctum sanctorum and placed in the Anasara Ghar—an isolation chamber within the temple—for a 14-day rest and recuperation period. This tradition follows the elaborate bathing ritual performed on the full moon day of the month of Jyestha.
Due to the ritual bath believed to induce a symbolic illness in the wooden idols, temple physicians will administer herbal treatments during the isolation phase. Public darshan will remain suspended until June 26, one day before the grand Rath Yatra.
As part of the ceremonial observance, the deities were brought out in a grand procession and bathed on the Snana Mandap. Later, they were adorned in Hati Besha (elephant attire)—Lord Jagannath as a black elephant, Lord Balabhadra as a white one, and Subhadra in Kumari Besha. Materials for the attire were traditionally supplied by the Raghav Das and Gopaltirtha Mutts.
Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, performed the symbolic Chhera Panhara (sweeping) ritual, adding royal sanctity to the occasion.
The event witnessed a large influx of devotees. To ensure safety and order, around 70 platoons of security forces and 450 officers were deployed. For the first time, AI-based surveillance cameras linked to an integrated control room were used for real-time crowd monitoring.
Puri District Collector Siddharth Swain said that adequate arrangements, including shade, drinking water, medical assistance, and fire safety, were in place for devotees.
The temple city now prepares for the upcoming Rath Yatra on June 27, one of the most anticipated spiritual festivals in Odisha.
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