Puri, June 21: On the tenth day of the Anasara period, thousands of devotees witnessed the divine darshan of Lord Alarnath at the sacred shrine in Brahmagiri. Marking the auspicious occasion of Ekadashi, the deity was adorned in the Lakshmi Narayan Besha and offered over a quintal of assorted fruits as part of the rituals.
The Anasara period, during which Lord Jagannath is believed to fall ill following the Snana Purnima bathing ritual, sees the deity remain out of public view. As per tradition, the Lord is said to be recuperating under the care of the sevayats (temple servitors). Only four days remain before the Nabajouban Darshan, when the rejuvenated Lord reappears before devotees.
During this period, devotees turn to Lord Alarnath, who is worshipped in the Chaturbhuja Narayan form, holding the shankha, chakra, gada, and padma. The belief that darshan of Khirikhia Thakura during Anasara grants special blessings has drawn large crowds to the Brahmagiri shrine.
The temple doors opened at 4:00 AM today, followed by the Mangala Alati at 4:15 AM. Rituals including Tadapa Lagi, Avakash, Anasara Besha, Tulasi Lagi, and Gopal Ballav were conducted in sequence, before the public darshan commenced at 6:20 AM.
With the Anasara period nearing its end, the flow of pilgrims to Brahmagiri is expected to increase in the coming days.
