Thousands of devotees gathered in Puri on Sunday to witness the spiritually significant ‘Adhara Panna’ ritual, a key part of the ongoing Rath Yatra festival, where Lord Jagannath, along with Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, was offered a sacred drink while seated on the chariots.
The ‘Adhara Panna’, a traditional offering made of milk, sugar, and other ingredients, is presented to the deities in earthen pots shaped like the Lord’s face. The ritual, performed after the midday bhog, concludes with the pots being ceremonially broken on the chariots, symbolizing that the prasad is meant solely for the deities.
“This is a sacred offering performed after all daily rituals. The drink is offered in pots resembling the Lord’s mouth and is never distributed to devotees,” explained Madhav Chandra Puja Panda, a senior temple servitor.
He urged devotees to maintain calm and patience for darshan, assuring that everyone would receive the Lord’s blessings.
Pilgrims from across India shared their divine experiences. Pooja, a devotee from Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, said, “Lord Jagannath looks like a groom today. Only those called by the Lord get the chance for darshan.”
Another devotee from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, noted the Lord’s mercy, saying, “Every year we come for Rath Yatra. When it gets too hot, Lord Jagannath showers rain for our comfort.”
BJP MP Sambit Patra emphasized the grandeur and spiritual importance of the event: “Lakhs of devotees from India and abroad have gathered for the Lord’s darshan. The entire state administration is making commendable arrangements under the leadership of the Chief Minister.”
The Rath Yatra celebrations will continue for four more days, concluding on Purnima with the return of the deities to the Jagannath Temple during the Bahuda Yatra.
