Puri, June 29: Thousands of devotees gathered at the Jagannath Temple in Puri to witness the sacred festival of Snana Purnima, one of the most important rituals before the annual Rath Yatra.
On this special day, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Sudarshan are brought out from the sanctum in a grand Pahandi procession. The deities are then placed on the Snana Mandap, where they receive a ceremonial bath with 108 pots of holy water drawn from the sacred Suna Kuan (Golden Well).
The water is mixed with traditional herbs before being offered to the deities. After the bathing ritual, the Gajapati Maharaja performs the symbolic Chhera Pahara, a ceremonial sweeping of the platform, reflecting humility before the Lord.
According to tradition, the deities fall ill after the grand bath and remain away from public view during the Anasara period. They reappear before devotees during Nabajouban Darshan, just before the world-famous Rath Yatra begins.
Snana Purnima is celebrated with deep devotion and attracts thousands of pilgrims from across India every year.