Puri: The three-day festival of lights at the Jagannath temple here, popularly known as ‘Deba Dipabali’, will be held from Monday.
The festival begins on the day of Krushnapaksha Chaturdashi in the Hindu month Margasira. As per rituals, the sibling deities — Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra — wear Sradha Vesha and make offerings to their late parents on the occasion.
The three deities are adorned in white clothes with yellow border for Lord Jagannath, black border for Lord Balabhadra and red border for Devi Subhadra.
Sources said special priests called Singharis adorn the deities after the Sandhya Dhupa ritual.
Lakhs of devotees will throng to the holy city to witness lifting of Mahadeepa to the temple top, lighting of diyas and display of fireworks.
On the first day, Lord Jagannath will offer ‘Pinda’ (obsequies) to King Indradyumna, who established the deities in the temple. He had asked for a boon to end his dynasty so that no successor could claim ownership of the temple.
The boon was granted by Lord Jagannath who volunteered to offer Pinda to his ardent devotee Indradyumna.
On the second day, as incarnation of Lord Ram, Lord Jagannath will offer Pinda to his father king Dasarath and as Krishna, he will offer pinda to parents Basudev and Devaki.
On the third day, pinda will be offered to Nanda and Jasoda.
