Puri, July 11: Thousands of devotees thronged the Alarnath Temple at Brahmagiri on Saturday to witness the twelfth-day Anasara darshan of Lord Alarnath. As the day coincided with Ekadashi, more than two quintals of various fruits were offered to the deity as part of the special rituals.

With only two days left for the conclusion of the Anasara period, Lord Alarnath appeared in the traditional Natabara Besha on Khadi Lagi Ekadashi, drawing an overwhelming number of devotees. The heavy turnout led to overcrowding and jostling among pilgrims inside the temple premises.

According to Jagannath tradition, the sibling deities of the Puri Jagannath Temple remain in seclusion during the Anasara period after falling ill following the ceremonial Snana Purnima bath. During this time, devotees visit the Alarnath Temple, where Lord Jagannath is worshipped in the form of the four-armed Lord Narayana. The deities are believed to be recuperating under the care of the temple servitors and will reappear before devotees during the Nabajaubana Darshan.

Devotees believe that offering prayers to Lord Alarnath during Anasara is spiritually equivalent to having darshan of Lord Jagannath in Puri. The deity, revered as Khiri Khia Thakura, was worshipped in the form of Chaturbhuja Narayana, holding the Shankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma.

The day's rituals began with the opening of the temple doors at 4 am, followed by Mangala Alati at 4:15 am. Rituals including Tadapa Lagi, Abakasha, Natabara Besha, Tulasi Lagi, Phala Lagi, and Gopala Ballabha Bhoga were performed before the temple was opened for public darshan at 6:45 am.