‘Deva Snana Purnima’ – Prelude To Annual Rath Yatra In Sand Art

Bhubaneswar: On the auspicious occasion of Deva Snana Purnima, noted artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has sculpted a sand art at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here.

He also tweeted it with a message, “On the auspicious occasion of #DevaSnanaPurnima , Pray Lord #Jagannath for peace and happiness of all. My SandArt at Bhubaneswar airport.”

Meanwhile in Puri, lakhs of devotees thronged Jagannath temple to witness the ceremonial public bath ceremony of the sibling deities on Thursday. It is an important event in the run-up to Rath Yatra on July 14.

On the full-moon day of the month of Jyestha, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, Sudarshan, and Madanmohan are brought out from the temple and taken in a procession to the Snana Bedi. The deities are bathed with 108 pitchers of aromatic water drawn from a well from a well called Suna Kuan on the temple premises.

The deities are then decorated in the famous ‘Hati Besha’ (elephant attire).

Following the bathing ritual, the Lords fall ill and retire to sick bed at Anansar Ghar for 15 days.

During this period that the wooden deities get a fresh coat of paint before they reappear a day before Rath Yatra in their youthful form known as ‘Nabajouban darshan’.

Social media was also flooded with Deva Snana Purnima wishes, seeking the blessings of the deities.

Social Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) tweeted, “ପବିତ୍ର ଦେବସ୍ନାନ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମାଅବସରରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଧିକ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ ଓଶୁଭକାମନା.Greetings to everyone on the auspicious occasion of #DevaSnanaPurnima! #SnanaPurnima.”

Union Petroleum Minister also tweeted, “ପବିତ୍ର ଦେବସ୍ନାନପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା ଅବସରରେ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭକାମନା।.”

BJP spokesperson, Odisha and senior advocate Pitambar Acharya tweeted, “Wishing all the Odias and Jagannath devotees world over on the auspicious day of “Snana Purnima” peace, prosperity, happiness, tranquility and blessings of Lords.”