Debasnana Purnima draws thousands to Jagannath Temple
Bhubaneswar: Lakhs of devotees, drenched in devotion, gathered at Puri's Jagannath temple on Wednesday to witness the sacred bathing ceremony of the deities during Debasnan Purnima, or Snan Yatra—a major prelude to the Rath Yatra and revered as Lord Jagannath's birthday.
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The spectacle unfolded on the Snan Bedi, an open-air stone platform visible from the bustling Grand Road outside the shrine. Here, the idols of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra were bathed in 108 vesselso f 'sacred water' drawn from the 'Sunakua' (golden well) nestled within the temple grounds.
Temple servitors performed the elaborate bathing ritual as chants echoed and the sea of pilgrims watched in hushed reverence.
What makes this ritual uniquely accessible is that it allows lakhs to catch a glimpse of the deities without entering the temple premises.
Among the sea of worshippers stood chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who had arrived in Puri early in the morning. "I participated in the Mangala Alati, Pahandi Bije for the first time on Debasnan Purnima and was blessed to have a darshan of the holy trinity. I prayed for the well-being of the people of the state and country.
Lakhs of devotees came for darshan. All arrangements were made properly. We hope that the upcoming Rath Yatra will be conducted smoothly with the blessings of Lord Jagannath," Majhi said.
The festivities began in the early morning hours with the grand procession known as Pahandi, in which the deities were ceremonially escorted from the sanctum sanctorum to the Snan Bedi, accompanied by music, chants, and an electrified crowd.
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Following the sacred bath, the deities were adorned in the Hati Besa (elephant attire). However, the grandeur soon gave way to a quieter phase of the ritual cycle. According to tradition, the deities are believed to fall ill after the elaborate bathing, leading to a fortnight of seclusion known as 'Anabasara'.
During this time, the idols remain hidden from public view, receiving care in the form of 'Phuluri Tela', a special herbal preparation believed to aid their recovery. Devotees instead offer prayers to 'Pati Dians', the painted representations of the divine trio, until the deities emerge rejuvenated for Nabajouban Darshan on June 26, the eve of the much-awaited Rath Yatra.
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