Puri: On the eve of the grand Rath Yatra, thousands of pilgrims gathered in Odisha’s temple town of Puri on Thursday to witness the first public appearance of the sibling deities—Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra—after a fortnight-long seclusion.
Devotees arrived before dawn and assembled near the Singha Dwar (Lion’s Gate) of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to participate in the sacred ‘Nabajouban Darshan’, marking the rejuvenated, youthful look of the deities on the Ratna Bedi (sanctum platform).
The deities had remained out of public view since June 11, following the Snana Purnima (bathing rituals), as tradition believes the idols fall “ill” after the ceremony and are kept in isolation in the ‘Anasar Ghar’ (quarantine room) for 14 days.
According to a Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) official, public viewing was held from 8 am to 10.30 am, with a special paid darshan from 8 to 9 am. The ‘Nabajouban Besha’ features the deities adorned in a special attire, and the ‘Netra Utsav’ (eye-opening ritual) is secretly performed by designated servitors.
SJTA chief Arabinda Padhee confirmed the darshan was conducted peacefully with servitor cooperation, paving the way for a smooth Rath Yatra on June 27.
Meanwhile, the three wooden chariots—Taladwaja, Debadalan, and Nandighosh—are ready, and rituals for their positioning at the Lion’s Gate were carried out.
For the first time, NSG commandos, 275 AI-powered cameras, and 10,000 personnel from police and CAPF have been deployed. Security has also been heightened near Sri Gundicha Temple, where the deities will stay for a week.