Stage Set for Snan Purnima

BY: SUN STAFF CORRESPONDENT

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Jun 06, JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — Countdown begins for the world famous Rath Yatra as the pilgrim city gears up to celebrate the traditional Debasnan Purnima on Sunday. Debasnan Purnima, or the bathing ceremony of the presiding sibling Deities of Jagannath Temple, is a major festival celebrated at Puri before the Car festival. This year, Rath Yatra will be observed on June 24th.

The district administration anticipates the convergence of lakhs of pilgrims here on the auspicious occasion of Debasnan Purnima. Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra would be escorted from the sanctum sanctorum to the Snan Bedi (bathing altar) amid a boisterous procession. The Deities would be given a grand shower with water fetched from suna kua of the temple. After a set of traditional rituals, the Deities would don attires resembling elephants. The besha is popularly known as hati besha of the Lord.

Temple officials informed that the Deities clad with elephant robes would be available for darshan from 6 pm till 11 pm on the elevated altar. In the late night, the Deities would be shifted to a solitary place, called anasar ghara (sick room) inside the temple. There, the Deities will recline in bed for fifteen days, suffering from fever. The temple Vaidya (ayurveda doctor) will treat the Lord with herbal medicines. The Deities will consume only fruits served to them by the Daita servitors. During these days the public darshan of the Deities will be restricted. The Deities will again give darshan to the devotees a day before Rath Yatra.

Security has been beefed up for a smooth and incident-free Debasnan Purnima. Thirty-five platoons of police forces have been assigned to maintain the law and order situation during the crowded festival. Besides, 500 home guards, 200 officers, 14 DSPs, 28 inspectors and 3 commandants would stay guard on Debasnan Purnima.

Armed cops will be pressed into service at strategic rooftops around the shrine, which stands among the high risk category temples in the country. “Cops in plain clothes would also be deployed,” a police official said. Police have also arranged parking lots to avoid traffic snarl on the Grand Road.