Royal bath for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balavadra and Devi Subhadra

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Puri, June 11 (UNI) Braving the scorching heat and humidity, lakhs of devotees today thronged this pilgrim city to witness the grand royal bathing ceremony, popularly known as ''Snan Purnima'' of the three presiding deities of Jagannath Temple.

Snan Purnima has been considered as a major ritual prelude to the famous Car festival or Rath Yatra.

As per the schedule the holy triads were escorted out of the ''Ratnasinhasan'' from the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple early morning by the Daita (a special set of servitors known as body protectors of the deities) servitors in a ''Pahandi'' procession amidst chanting of 'Jai Jagannath.' Playing ''drums, cymbals, bugles and ghanta'' the Daita servitors escorted the deities in a ceremonial ''Pahandi'' procession to the bathing altar located at the outer temple complex.

The ''pahandi'' was over before 0900 hours at the bathing altar, located at a huge raised platform overlooking the grand road facing the East.

After a complex set of minor rituals, the temple priests conducted the bathing ceremony of the deities at noon using 108 pitchers of aromatic and herbal water drawn from the golden well of the temple.

The ceremony was completed by 1300 hours and soon after the bathing ceremony, Gajapati king Divyasingh Deb came in a procession and conducted the ''chherapahanra''(cleaning the floor of the altar with a gold broom stick atop the altar).

Thereafter the temple dressers decked the deities in the shape of lord Ganesha popularly called ''Hativesha''. The devotees were allowed to have 'darshan' of this attire by 1630 hours.

Late in the night deities would be taken into a solitary place in the temple called ''Anasar house'' (room for the sick) in similar ''pahandi bije'' where Lord Jagannath along with his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra would sleep for fifteen days for suffering from fever.

During the fortnight the temple Vaidya (doctor) would treat them with herbal medicine while the deities would be served with fruit by the Daita servitors.

The public 'darshan' for the deities during these fifteen days would be prohibited. The devotees,however, can visit Alarnath temple, situated some 23 kms from here where as per belief the Lord manifeests himself.

Massive police arrangement was made for smooth conduct of the ritual today.

UNI XC DP PC PA RS2008

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