Dhanu Sankranti: Month-Long ‘Pahili Bhoga’ Ritual Begins At Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri: The special ‘Pahili Bhoga’ ritual began at Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s pilgrim town of Puri on Monday, marking the transition of the Sun into ‘Dhanu Rashi’ (Sagittarius).

This special early morning daily ritual at the shrine will continue for a month.

Hundreds of devotees thronged the 12th-century shrine for ‘darshan’ of the sibling deities and received ‘Pahili Bhoga’.

According to temple sources, ‘Pahili Bhoga’ ritual of the deities will continue till the day before ‘Makar Sankranti’, which falls on January 13 next year.

Briefing about the special rituals, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) sources informed that Dwara Phita’ ritual (opening of the temple door) was performed at around 2 am. The deities were then offered ‘Pahili Bhoga’, or the first offering, along with ‘Ballabh Bhoga’.

The rituals other than ‘Pahili Bhoga’, which were performed at the shrine from wee hours were ‘Mangala Arati’, ‘Rosha Homa’, ‘Mailama’, ‘Tadapa Lagi’, and ‘Abakasha’.

The ‘Pahili Bhoga’ will be offered between 5.30 am tand 6 am daily for next one month, SJTA sources added.