Bhubaneswar: The revered Tara Tarini Temple in Ganjam district will undergo a purification bath ritual, Mahasnana, today after thieves desecrated the shrine and stole valuable ornaments worth lakhs.
As per reports, the ritual will begin with the priests and devotees gathering at the Rushikulya River, where they will perform puja and collect 108 pitchers of water. They will then climb 999 steps to the temple, carrying the water, to bathe the presiding deity.
The Mahasnana ritual will be followed by the recitation of three mantras 108 times. After the purification ritual, the temple will be reopened for darshan.
The decision to perform the Mahasnana ritual was taken thieves broke into the temple on November 6 and stole cash and valuables, including a silver crown.
The ritual is expected to draw thousands of devotees, who will gather to witness the purification ceremony and seek the blessings of Goddess Tara Tarini.
“The thieves’ actions have defiled the temple, and the Mahasnana ritual is essential to purify the shrine and restore its sanctity,” said a temple servitor.
