DEVA SNANA PURNIMA

According to Scanda Purana, king Indradyumna arranged this  Snana Yatra for the first time on the Purnima(full moon day) of the Hindu month of Jyestha when the wooden idols of Lord Jagannatha, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra were installed in the Jagannath temple Puri (Orissa state of India). On every Jyestha Purnima which is known as Deva Snana Purnima Snana Yatra (the bathing festival) is celebrated to commemorate the appearance of Lord Jagannath in Puri.

The idols of Lord Jagannatha, Goddess Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra and Sudarshana (the weapon of Lord Jagannatha) are carried out from the Garbhagriha (Sanctum sanctorum, where the deities are regularly worshiped) to the Snana Mandap (bathing stage). Here the deities are bathed after a few rituals by the Daitapatis with the 108 pitchers waters taken from the northern well situated in the premises near the Sitala temple. The deities are then dressed in Sadavesha (simple dress up). Bhogalagi, the daily food offerings is done here in public viewing on the Snana Mandap. In the evening, the deities take Gajavesha, decorated with elephant headgear representing Lord Ganesha. Traditionally Raghaba Das Matha provides the attires of Lord Jagannatha and his sister Goddess Subhadra. The Gopal Tirtha Matha provides attires of Lord Balabhadra and Lord Sudarshana. Ornamental pieces resembling the head, tusks, ears, eyes and trunk of an elephant are prepared using velvet and silk fabrics natural thermocol and processed skins of banana trunk. Devotees come to see with a believe that this viewing would cleanse them of all of their sins.

After the Snana Yatra the Gods suffer from fever and are kept in a sickroom to get well in privacy under the care of the Raja Vaidya (the royal doctor). During this period of fifteen days, known as Anasara, the lords do not appear before the devotees; hence, three Pata Chitras (paintings of the deities) are kept for the public viewing in the temple. The gods and goddesses recover in fifteen days with the ayurvedic medication (Pnachana) administered by the Raja Vaidya and resume their public appearance. This goes on to affirm that even gods and goddesses in their incarnation on the earth go through the regular ailments and orders of life.

During the Anasara period, the devotees move towards Alarnath Mndir in Brahmagiri with a belief that lord Jagannath manifests as Alarnath  in this period.

The legendary Rath Yatra (Car festival) of Puri takes place after  the completion of this Anasara period. Hence, this Snana Yatra is a preliminary function of the Rath Yatra.

JAI JAGANNATH.