Puri, June 30: Thousands of devotees thronged the sacred town of Puri on Monday to witness the divine Hathi Besha of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on the chariots. The unique attire of the Holy Trinity, resembling Lord Ganesha, drew devotees from across the country, who described the darshan as a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience.

Braving long queues and heavy crowds, devotees patiently waited for a glimpse of the deities and offered prayers for peace, prosperity and the well-being of their families.

🙏 “Lord Jagannath Ensures Our Darshan” | Devotee Shradhanjali Speaks

"I have been visiting Puri for several years, but witnessing the Hathi Besha always fills my heart with devotion. The divine darshan gave me immense peace and happiness," said a devotee from Bhubaneswar.

Another devotee from Puri, Shradhanjali Sahoo says, “Witnessing the Hathi Besha of the Holy Trinity after waiting for an entire year was a deeply joyful and spiritual experience. Despite the massive crowd, the devotee felt that Lord Jagannath himself guided them, making the darshan smooth and effortless. Expressing gratitude, the devotee said they felt truly blessed to have had the opportunity to witness the beautiful Hathi Besha and offered prayers for everyone's well-being before returning home.”

Another devotee from Cuttack said, "Despite the huge crowd, I had a smooth darshan of the Holy Trinity. Seeing Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra in Hathi Besha is truly a blessing."

A pilgrim from West Bengal shared, "I travelled overnight with my family just to witness this sacred occasion. The moment I saw the deities, all my tiredness vanished. I prayed for good health and happiness for everyone."