Puri: Odisha Police has intensified security measures in Puri ahead of Devasnana Purnima on June 29, anticipating a significant turnout of devotees for the ‘Snana Yatra’ of Lord Jagannath.
Senior officials have reviewed the preparations, concentrating on crowd management, traffic control, and overall security deployment for this annual religious celebration.
Approximately 3-4 lakh devotees are expected to visit Puri for the Snana Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Central Range Satyajit Naik and Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Prateek Singh conducted a comprehensive review of the arrangements on-site to ensure the festival proceeds smoothly and peacefully.
The Odisha Police has deployed 79 platoons of personnel, along with senior officers and specialized units to manage the large crowd. This deployment includes Quick Action Teams (QATs), sniffer dogs, rooftop surveillance teams, and the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) for real-time coordination.
According to the officials’ release, detailed traffic management plans, designated parking areas, emergency response systems, and pilgrim assistance measures have been established to facilitate the smooth movement of devotees and prevent congestion in and around the temple vicinity.
Debasnana Purnima, or Snana Yatra, is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, usually occurring in June. This festival is of great religious importance, believed to mark the birthday of Lord Jagannath. The deities are taken out in a grand procession from the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath Temple to the Snana Mandap, an elevated platform where the ceremonial bathing ritual occurs.
On this day, Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, are brought out to the Snana Mandap, where they undergo a ceremonial bath with 108 pitchers of sacred water.
After the bathing ritual, the deities are dressed in Gajanan Besa, meaning they are adorned to resemble Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity. This unique attire, also referred to as Hati Besa, carries deep symbolic significance. The grand ritual bathing is believed to purify and honor the deities, and it is one of the rare occasions when they are publicly visible, allowing devotees a close view before the renowned Rath Yatra.
Following the bath, it is believed that the deities become unwell and enter a period of seclusion known as ‘Anavasara,’ during which they are kept out of public view for about 15 days. This time is considered a recuperation period, as the deities are thought to suffer from fever due to the extensive bathing ritual.
During Anavasara, devotees can glimpse the ‘Patti Dians’ (painted images) of the deities instead of the actual idols. After this period, the deities re-emerge for the grand Rath Yatra, where they are placed on their magnificent chariots and taken on a procession through the streets of Puri. This event marks their annual journey to the Gundicha Temple and is one of the most celebrated and attended occasions, symbolizing their blessings and grace upon all devotees.
During the time between the Snana Yatra and the Rath Yatra, people from around the world flock to Puri to participate.
