Puri, June 23: Today marks Trayodashi Tithi during the sacred Anasara period of Lord Jagannath. On this auspicious day, secret rituals will be performed inside the Anasara Gruha.
The rituals are conducted in complete secrecy. First, Ghana Prasad will be applied to the deities, followed by Khali and then Khadi—a sacred paste used in the final stages of the Lord’s rejuvenation before Nabajouban Darshan.
The Khali Prasad is specially prepared by the Shuddha Suaras in their homes, adhering to strict rituals and maintaining sanctity. This sacred mixture is kept in a silver pot and ceremonially brought to the Jagannath Temple in a grand procession. The procession includes instruments such as ghanta, kahali, and chhata.
Before bringing the Khali to the temple, women of the Shuddha Suara families perform a traditional ritual called Bandapana on the Khali pot. The sacred offering is then brought to the temple under tight security, accompanied by a ceremonial musical escort and temple guards.
Upon arrival, the Khali Prasad is handed over to the Daitapati servitors, who will apply it to the deities late at night in the final ritual of the Anasara period. This offering marks one of the last stages before the Lord’s public reappearance during Nabajouban Darshan.
Earlier, the Nabakalebara had been wrapped in Rakta Bastra during secret rituals, symbolizing the recovery phase after falling ill during the Snana Purnima bathing festival.
All these rituals are performed in strict secrecy by the Daita and Pati Mahapatra servitors following ancient tradition, preserving the divine mystery and sanctity of Lord Jagannath’s rituals.
