Puri, July 26: ‘Adhar Pana’, a unique ritual of offering sweet drink to Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath on their chariots a day before their return to the Shree Jagannath Temple, will be held on Sunday evening.

The ritual is performed on the last day of the annual Rath Yatra when the deities are placed on their chariots near the Singhadwar (Lion’s Gate) of the 12th century shrine.

The ritual is held a day after the sibling deities of Puri Jagannath Temple dazzled in their golden attire on the occasion of Suna Besha.

As per tradition, total nine barrel-shaped terracotta urns containing the sweet drinks were broken atop the three chariots – Nandighosh, Taladhwaj and Darpadala - in a bid to offer the drink to the divine embodiments (parswa devtas or Rath rakshyaks) who accompanied the sibling deities - Lord Jagannath, His elder brother Lord Balabhadra and their younger sister Devi Subhadra to Gundicha temple during annual nine-day sojourn and guard the deities on the chariots.

It is also believed that the drink was offered to liberate other invisible powers or spirits.

As per the century-old tradition, Pani Apata servitors collectively bring hundred of pots of water from a well near the Singhadwar and pour it on to a big brass container which is kept on the chariots. Bhitarachha, Taluchha and Palia Puspalaka hold a new cloth in front of the deities during the Adhar Pana offering ritual.

The pots, filled with a sweet drink called ‘pana’ which is made with milk, cream, nutmeg, sugar, banana, and more, almost touch the lips (Adhara) of the deities atop the chariots, are placed before the deities.

As the pots eventually break by the servitors, they flow down, and it is believed that, they are then consumed by the spirits and invisible powers who are around the sacred chariots and seek salvation from the Earth realm.