Bhubaneswar: Darshan at Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri was halted for about an hour on Friday for ‘Bada Maha Snana’, a significant purification ritual, after blood stains were found Kala Hata Dwara, the ornate silver-adorned ent
rance to the sanctum sanctorum.
According to sources, a temple servitor sustained heady injuries as he slipped near the entrance while carrying sacred Mahaprasad for the sibling deities, resulting in blood spilling onto the floor.
Temple traditions strictly prohibit any impurity, including blood, within the holy precincts.
Following which, the doors of the sanctum sanctorum were closed, restricting public viewing, and a special purification ceremony of the deities, popularly known as Maha Snana, was performed for over an hour. This ceremonial cleansing, involving sacred waters and mantras, restores the sanctity of the sanctum.