Puri (Odisha) [India], June 29 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan arrived in Puri on Monday to take part in the grand Deva Snana Purnima celebrations. The minister joined thousands of worshippers gathered to witness the sacred bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, a tradition that spans centuries.
The festival signifies the ceremonial bathing of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra in 108 pots of water as part of a sacred ritual.
Devotees from all over the country traveled to participate in the event. Speaking to ANI, one devotee who visited the city for the Snana Yatra shared her experience.
She said, ‘We come to see Lord Jagannath every year, and we are always delighted to attend the Snana Yatra. Today marks the Lord’s appearance festival… Watching the procession of Lord Jagannath and Subhadra Devi feels truly wonderful…’
Meanwhile, Odisha Police enhanced security measures in Puri for Devasnana Purnima on June 29, as a large number of devotees arrived for the ‘Snana Yatra’ of Lord Jagannath.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Central Range Satyajit Naik and Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Prateek Singh conducted a thorough review of the arrangements to ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the festival.
The Odisha Police deployed 79 platoons of force, 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.
Debasnana Purnima, also known as Snana Yatra, is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, which typically occurs in June. This festival holds significant religious importance, as it is believed to be 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 bathing ritual is performed.
Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, is brought out from the sanctum sanctorum to the Snana Mandap, a special bathing platform. On this day, the deities undergo a ceremonial bath with 108 pitchers of sacred water.
After the bath, the deities are adorned in Gajanan Besa, which means they are dressed to resemble Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity. This unique attire, also known as Hati Besa, carries deep symbolic meaning. 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 famous Rath Yatra.
Following this bath, it is believed that the deities become unwell and enter a period of seclusion known as ‘Anavasara,’ where they are kept away from public view for about 15 days. This time is considered a period of recuperation, as the deities are thought to suffer from fever due to the extensive bathing ritual.
During Anavasara, the deities are offered special medicinal preparations known as ‘Phuluri Tela’ to aid in their recovery.
Devotees can glimpse the ‘Patti Dians’ (painted images) of the deities during this time, instead of the actual idols. After the Anavasara 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 marks their annual journey to the Gundicha Temple, one of the most celebrated and attended events, symbolizing their blessing and grace upon all devotees.
During the period between the Snana Yatra and the Rath Yatra, people from around the world come to Puri to participate.
