Puri: Lakhs of devotees witnessed the grand and sacred Deva Snana Purnima at the Jagannath Temple in Puri on Monday as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Sudarshan were ceremonially bathed on the Snana Mandap, marking the beginning of the annual Rath Yatra festivities.

Snana Jatra marks the beginning of Rath Yatra festivities

Observed on Jyestha Purnima, the ritual bathing ceremony is one of the most significant festivals associated with Lord Jagannath and signals the commencement of preparations for the world-famous Rath Yatra, which is scheduled to begin on July 16 this year.

The day began with the traditional Pahandi Bije ritual, during which the deities were carried in a grand ceremonial procession from the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th-century shrine to the Snana Bedi amid the rhythmic sounds of conch shells, gongs and other traditional musical instruments. Thousands of devotees gathered to witness the divine procession, filling the temple premises with chants of devotion.

108 sacred pitchers used for the ceremonial bath of the Holy Siblings

Following rituals such as Mangal Alati, Abakash Niti and Bimba Snana, the deities were bathed with 108 pitchers of sacred, fragrant water drawn from the mysterious Sunakua (Golden Well) located near the Maa Sitala Temple inside the Jagannath Temple complex.

The holy water was infused with sandalwood paste, camphor, saffron, essential oils, fragrant flowers, aguru, aromatic herbs, khus grass and other traditional ingredients, making the ceremonial bath one of the most elaborate rituals in the Jagannath tradition.

As per temple customs, Lord Jagannath received 35 pitchers of holy water, Lord Balabhadra 33 pitchers, Devi Subhadra 22 pitchers, while Lord Sudarshan—the divine discus (chakra) of Lord Vishnu worshipped alongside the holy siblings—was bathed with 18 pitchers, completing the total of 108 sacred pots.

Following the Snana ritual, the deities will be adorned in the unique Gajanana Besha, popularly known as Hati Besha, in which they are decorated with specially crafted elephant-like masks. The rare attire commemorates a popular belief associated with Lord Ganesha and attracts thousands of devotees every year.

After the ceremonial adornment, the deities will return to the temple and remain in the Anasaragruha (isolation chamber) for the next 14 days. According to tradition, the deities are believed to fall ill after the ceremonial bath and remain inaccessible to devotees during the Anasara period. Only the Daita and Pati servitors are permitted to perform the rituals during this time.

The holy siblings will reappear before devotees during the Naba Jaubana Darshana, when they are believed to regain their youthful appearance ahead of the annual Rath Yatra.

With lakhs of devotees converging on the pilgrim town to witness the sacred Snana Jatra, the ceremony once again reflected the enduring spiritual significance of Lord Jagannath and the centuries-old traditions that continue to draw pilgrims from across India and abroad.