PURI: Lakhs of devotees thronged the holy city of Puri on Wednesday to witness the Snana Yatra 2025, the sacred bathing festival of Lord Jagannath, marking a key event in the lead-up to the Rath Yatra. Held on Deva Snana Purnima, this age-old ritual saw Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra brought out in a grand ‘Pahandi’ procession to the Snana Mandap (bathing altar) outside the sanctum of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple.
The bathing ceremony, believed to be Lord Jagannath’s birthday, is the only time in the year when the deities are bathed in full public view. The Snana Mandap, facing the Bada Danda (Grand Road), offered lakhs of devotees a rare chance to witness this intimate ritual. As part of tradition, 108 pots of sacred water drawn from the temple’s Sunakua (golden well) were poured over the deities, accompanied by the chanting of Vedic mantras.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with Puri MP Sambit Patra, participated in the festivities. Entering the temple through the Uttara Dwara (northern gate), they observed the rituals and paid their respects during the early morning ceremonies.
The Pahandi Bije procession, which began at 5:45 AM with Lord Sudarshan, was completed by 8:55 AM, followed by the grand bathing ritual around noon. Later in the day, Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, carried out the traditional Chhera Panhara (sweeping ceremony) of the altar.
By evening, the deities are dressed in Gaja Vesha, an elephant-like attire, symbolising divinity in animal form. Devotees will be allowed public darshan during the Sahan Mela from 7:30 PM onwards. Following the Snana Yatra, the deities are believed to fall ill due to the extensive bathing and will rest in the Anasara Ghar (isolation room) for 14 days. During this period, known as Anasara, public darshan is closed. Temple physicians (Baidya) will treat them with traditional herbal medicines. The next public viewing will be on Nabajouban Darshan on June 26, a day before the grand Jagannath Rath Yatra on June 27.
To ensure the safety and smooth conduct of the event, 70 platoons of police forces and 450 officers were deployed across the city. According to Puri SP Vinit Agarwal, barricades were installed for crowd control, and for the first time, AI-powered surveillance cameras linked to an integrated control room were used for real-time monitoring and enhanced security.
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