Puri: In a rare and spiritually profound ritual at Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri, Lord Jagannath, along with His siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, will be adorned with the exquisite Padmabesha (lotus attire) on Wednesday.
Devotees flock to the temple for darshan of this visually stunning decoration, observed only once a year, during which the deities are transformed into a radiant vision of golden lotus motifs, symbolising purity, devotion, and divine grace. It is traditionally performed on a Wednesday or Saturday that falls between Mauni Amavasya and Basanta Panchami during the auspicious Magha Masa.
On this occasion, the deities are decorated with Mukhapadma, Kundal, Chita, Tahiya, Swans, Shankhas, Chakras and other embellishments prepared from thermocol by artists while adhering to strict rituals including consuming only Habishanna. The responsibility for supplying all required materials falls on Badachhata Mutt, a traditional institution linked to the temple, which has upheld this sacred duty for generations.
It is performed during the Bada Singhara ritual in the evening, after which the deities retire for the night in the same attire. Devotees can behold this divine form until the Mangala Alati the following morning.
Legends
This ritual holds deep significance rooted in legend. Centuries ago, a devoted saint named Manohar Das undertook an arduous winter journey from his village(near the Rushikulya river to Puri to offer fresh lotus flowers to Lord Jagannath. The harsh cold withered the flowers by the time he arrived, and the temple servitors initially refused the offering. Moved by Manohar Das’s unwavering devotion, Lord Jagannath appeared in a dream to the Gajapati Maharaja (the king of Puri) and instructed him to accept the devotee’s gift. Miraculously, when the dried lotuses were placed on the deities during the Badasinghara ritual, they regained their freshness and emitted a divine fragrance.
To honour this act of pure devotion, Padma Besha is observed annually, reminding devotees that heartfelt bhakti transcends material perfection.
