Puri: Debasnana Purnima, a prelude to the annual Rath Yatra, began with the deities of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri being escorted to Snana Bedi in a ceremonial Pahandi procession by Daita servitors in the early hours of Wednesday.
After installing the deities on the Snana Bedi, an elevated platform on the temple premises facing east overlooking the Bada Danda, Mangalalati, Mailam, Tadap Lagi and Abakash were performed by the servitors.
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has arrived the pilgrim town to witness the ceremonial bathing rituals during which 108 pitchers of aromatic water will be poured on Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, which is expected to be completed by noon.
The water used for bathing the deities is taken from the Suna Kua (well) on the temple premises. All the pots, preserved in the ‘Bhoga Mandap’, are first purified using turmeric, sandalwood and flowers. A set of special priests, ‘Suaras’, take these pots from the golden well to the bathing altar. This ritual is called ‘Jalabhisheka’.
Notably, the holy water is drawn from the well once a year.
After completion of the bathing ceremony, the deities will adorn ‘Sada Besha’.
Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb will perform Chherapahanra on the Snana Bedi at around 3.30 pm following which the deities will be decked up in ‘Hati Besha’ (incarnation of Lord Ganesh). A special ‘Bhog’ is also prepared as an offering on the occasion.
The devotees are then allowed darshan of the Lords as they appear for ‘Sahana Mela’.
‘Sahan Mela’ or public darshan will be allowed from 7.30 pm.
The devotees believe that a glimpse of the deities on this auspicious day will rid them of all sins.
Later in the night, the deities will be moved to Anasara Ghara (sick room) where they will stay for a fortnight. The deities will be brought out for Nabajouban Darshan, a day prior to the annual Rath Yatra slated for June 27.
The Snana Purnima rituals began on Monday night with Daita servitors, taking charge from regular priests, began preparations for the Pahandi of the Lords. They fixed ‘Senapatta’, a body armour made of ‘Baula’ wood on the deities on Tuesday night to minimise the stress during the Pahandi. Another group of servitors fixed Charmalas (huge ladders) to the Ratna Singhasan to facilitate the ceremony.