Stage set for grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Hundreds of traditional carpenters and painters are busy giving finishing touches to the three huge chariots of the Lords.
After a pause of two years due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the ceremonial public bath, known as the ‘Snana Jatra’ ceremony of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, was witnessed by thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the country.
The ritual was performed on the bathing altar known as the ‘Snana Mandap’ in which priests poured 108 pitchers of aromatic sacred water on the deities. The holy ritual marks the beginning of the annual world-famous Rath Yatra festival.
The water is traditionally drawn from a well-situated inside the sprawling temple complex.
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The bathing ceremony followed a grand procession called ‘pahandi’ in which the deities along with the idol of ‘Sudarshan’ were taken out from the sanctum sanctorum to the bathing altar in a majestic manner.
After the bathing ritual, the deities were attired with ‘Gajanana Vesha’ (elephant dress). Lord Jagannath adorns the elephant attire to please his Maharastrian devotees who worship Lord Ganesh.
The ‘Snana Jatra’ is a significant ritual in the run-up to the annual ‘Rath Jatra’ festival of Lord Jagannath. It is held on the full moon day of the Hindu month of ‘Jyestha’, considered to be the birthday of Lord Jagannath.
According to the Skanda Purana, King Indradyumna, who had installed the wooden deities of the deities in the 12th-century shrine, introduced the bathing ritual.
Elaborate arrangements were made for smooth conduct of the annual event and security personnel in strength have been deployed in and around the shrine. Over 100 CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the bathing ritual of the deities and movement of devotees.
Patrolling by police personnel was stepped up and special steps were taken to regulate vehicular traffic for the event, according to police. Arrangements were made to enable the public to witness the ritual from behind barricades.
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