Puri, June 28: Lakhs of devotees witnessed divine bath of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath on the Snana Mandap today at Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. The festival is called the Snana Yatra, the bathing festival celebrated on the Purnima (Full Moon Day) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha.
Today, early in the morning, the servitors brought out the deities in a grand procession from the Garbhagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum) to the Snana Bedi inside the premises of Srimandir, facing the Bada Danda.
Lord Sudarsana was the first to be brought to the Snana Bedi followed by Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannatha and Goddess Subhadra.
As per the rituals, the deities were accorded a bath with 108 pitchers of aromatic water by servitors. The servitors poured 35 pots of water on Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra had shower with 33 pots of water, Devi Subhadra with 22 pots of water and Lord Sudarshan took bath with 18 pots of water.
Further, the deities were escorted to Anasara Ghara in a procession where they will be treated with herbal medicine as it is believed that the Lord get fever after the ceremonial bath. During this period, Gods cannot be seen by the devotees and three Pata Chitra paintings are displayed for devotees.
The deities will come out of the Anasar Ghar for Nabajouban Darshan, a day before Rath Yatra. The annual sojourn is scheduled on July 14 this year.
During the Anasara period devotees head to the Alarnatha Mandir in Bramhagiri in the belief that Jagannath manifests as Alarnatha during this period
