Lakhs gather in Puri for Debasnana Purnima

Bhubaneswar: Lakhs of devotees gathered in Puri on Monday to witness the annual Debasnana Purnima festival, marked by the ceremonial bathing of the sibling deities at the Jagannath Temple.Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with several other dignitaries, offered prayers during the grand occasion. “I feel blessed to be part of this sacred festival. I prayed for the well-being of the people of Odisha and the world. With Lord Jagannath’s grace, our govt is determined to build a prosperous Odisha through dedicated service and development. A strong and vibrant Odisha will contribute to the welfare of humanity,” Majhi told reporters.The huge turnout of devotees tested police arrangements. “Crowd density was far higher than in previous years. Managing the surge was a challenge,” a police officer said.Several elderly devotees fainted in the queues outside the temple due to the sweltering heat and humidity. Many jostled for space outside the temple opposite the Snana Mandap (bathing pandal), visible from the Grand Road, while some broke barricades near the Ratha Khala where chariot construction is underway.

Police said that 10 devotees were treated at the district headquarters hospital for fatigue and heat-related discomfort. They were discharged later. A police officer fell from his bike post-duty and sustained a minor head injury. He is stable.DGP Y B Khurania said the festival remained peaceful. “Lakhs witnessed the bathing ritual and the evening Hati Besha, when the deities donned elephant attire. The proceedings were smooth, incident-free and concluded without untoward events,” the DGP said.Temple chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said rituals were performed on time. Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb carried out the traditional Chhera Pahanra — sweeping of the bathing podium — in front of the deities, amid chants of “Jai Jagannath”.As per tradition, the deities have now been confined to the Anasara Ghara, a symbolic sick room inside the shrine, where they will remain for a fortnight, believed to be recuperating from fever. While the main deities would remain out of bounds for the 15 days, their representative images painted on tussar cloth, known as Patti Dian, will be worshipped.