Bhubaneswar: Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were offered Adharapana (a delicious drink) on their respective chariots at the Lions’ Gate of Srimandir in Odisha’s Puri city on Sunday.

Thousands of devotees congregated on the Grand Road of the Holy City to witness the unique ritual.

Traditionally, the special drink is offered to the deities in nine cylindrical pots reaching up to their lips on their chariots. That is why the ritual is called Adharapana.

In the past, the special drink used to be offered to the deities in 12 pots—three on Bahuda Dasami, three on Ekadasi, three on Dwadasi, two for Ram and Krushna on Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja chariot and one pot for Madan Mohan on Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa chariot.

In the recent years, the drink is being offered in nine pots, three pots for each deity, on a single day.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and authorities of Raghab Das mutt and Badaodia mutt supplied three earthen pots each and the ingredients for the preparation of the sweet drink.

Ingredients like cheese, milk, sugar, banana, camphor, nuts, black pepper and extracts from holy basil plants were churned to prepare the sweet drink.

Mahasuar servitors of the temple prepared the drink by mixing the above said ingredients with the holy water collected from a well in front of Chhauni Mutt near the Lions’ Gate of Srimandir.

Patribadu, Suarbadu and Garabadu servitors performed the puja on the three chariots in the evening. The drink was then offered to the deities by Palia Pujapanda servitors.

After the Bhog was offered, the pots were broken before the deities and the drink spilled away on the chariots.

It is believed that the spillover drink is for the subsidiary deities placed on the chariots, evil spirits and ghostly bodies. As per tradition, the devotees are forbidden to partake Adharapana.

Notably, Lord Jagannath and his siblings had embarked on their journey to Srigundicha temple for a nine-day sojourn by riding their chariots on the Grand Road on the occasion of Rath Yatra on July 16.

After making a night halt midway, the deities reached Saradhabali near Srigundicha temple on July 17. The deities were escorted to the Adapa Mandap of Srigundicha temple from their chariots on July 18.

The deities returned to the Lions’ Gate of the 12th century shrine from Srigundicha temple by riding their chariots after completion of their nine-day sojourn on the occasion of Bahuda Yatra on July 24. They were adorned with the Suna Besha (Golden Attire) on their chariots on July 25.

As per the schedule, the deities will be taken back to the sanctum sanctorum of Srimandir from the chariots through the Pahandi procession on the occasion of Niladri Bije on July 27 (Monday).