Puri, July 27: After remaining vacant for 27 days, the Ratna Bedi (jeweled throne) inside the Jagannath Temple is set to once again receive the presiding deities as the annual Rath Yatra festival concludes with the sacred Niladri Bije ceremony on Monday.

The return of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra, and Lord Sudarshan to the Ratna Singhasana marks the final chapter of the annual chariot festival. Following the Snana Yatra and the completion of the secret rituals observed during the Anasara period, the deities are now ready to return to the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th-century shrine.

According to the schedule announced by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, the ceremonial Pahandi procession will begin at 4:00 p.m. The deities will be carried from their respective chariots to the temple in a traditional procession before being reinstalled on their respective seats inside the sanctum. The occasion is expected to draw thousands of devotees, while an emotionally charged atmosphere is likely to prevail at the Singhadwara as the deities conclude their annual sojourn outside the temple.

Ahead of the procession, elaborate preparations will be carried out inside the temple. A ceremonial canopy will be installed over the Ratna Simhasana, while the throne will be cleansed and decorated. Following the completion of the Sandhya Dhupa ritual on the chariots, ceremonial ladders will be fixed, floral offerings will be made, and the traditional Bije Kahali will be sounded to signal the beginning of the procession.

As per tradition, the Pushpalaka servitors will first escort Lord Madanmohan and Lord Ramakrishna to the southern chamber, followed by Lord Sudarshan, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra. Lord Jagannath will be the last deity to enter the temple in the grand Pahandi procession.

One of the highlights of the Niladri Bije ceremony is the symbolic Lakshmi–Narayan Kali, during which Goddess Lakshmi playfully blocks Lord Jagannath's entry into the temple. According to temple tradition, the Lord offers Rasgulla to appease His consort after returning from the Rath Yatra, symbolizing reconciliation and marking the origin of Odisha's celebrated Rasgulla tradition.

The Niladri Bije ceremony brings the annual Rath Yatra festivities to a close, offering devotees a final opportunity to witness the unique blend of ritual, devotion, and symbolic divine play that defines one of Hinduism's most revered festivals.