Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday participated in the Pahandi rituals on the occasion of Deba Snana Purnima at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
This marked his first visit to the ceremonial event as Chief Minister and comes ahead of the annual Rath Yatra festival.
“I witnessed Mahaprabhu’s Pahandi for the first time today. I had the darshan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. I pray for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the upcoming Rath Yatra and hope all devotees are able to witness the Deities’ divine presence. The temple administration and servitors are doing commendable work and I am confident that this year’s festival will be conducted without any issues,” said Chief Minister Majhi while speaking to reporters.
The Pahandi rituals are a significant part of the Rath Yatra tradition, involving the ceremonial procession of the three deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to the Snana Mandap (bathing altar). The grand procession is accompanied by chants, gongs, and conches, with thousands of devotees in attendance.
As part of the Snana Purnima ritual, the deities are bathed with a total of 108 pots of water mixed with aromatic herbs and sandalwood paste. Lord Jagannath is bathed with 35 pots, Lord Balabhadra with 33, Devi Subhadra with 22, and Lord Sudarshan with 18.
Following the bathing ceremony, the deities are believed to fall ill and are kept in seclusion for 15 days, a period known as ‘Anasara.’ During this time, they are offered herbal treatments and a special fruit-based diet in preparation for their grand reappearance during the Rath Yatra.
The Rath Yatra is scheduled to take place later this month and preparations are already underway to ensure smooth conduct of the festival.
