Puri, May 30: The Jagannath Temple in Puri has temporarily closed for public darshan on Thursday as the Maha Snana, a grand purification bath ceremony, of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, was performed after a devotee vomit inside the temple.
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In response, the temple authorities promptly conducted the Maha Snana, a sacred purification ritual, temporarily suspending public darshan for about an hour.
The incident occurred after the Madhyanha Dhupa ritual, while devotees were offering prayers near the Bhitar Katha.
Unlike the regular bathing of the deities, Maha Snana is a unique and symbolic ceremony. During this ritual, sanctified water is poured over mirrors placed before the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, accompanied by the chanting of Vedic mantras. This ensures that the divine presence is not directly exposed while the symbolic purification takes place.
Such rituals are mandated whenever there is an occurrence of bodily fluids, human or animal death, or even animal intrusion within the temple premises. Another similar cleansing process known as Sodha is carried out periodically to maintain the spiritual hygiene of the temple.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration confirmed that all regular religious proceedings resumed seamlessly after the Maha Snana. Devotees were later allowed to continue their darshan as per the usual schedule
