Bhubaneswar, July 18: The Adhara Pana Niti ritual concluded in Puri on July 18, following the Suna Besha ceremony where the deities were adorned in golden attire.
This ritual is performed on Asadha Shukla Dwadashi, and involves offering a special milk beverage called Pana to the deities on their chariots
The Pana is prepared by Mahasuara servitors using ingredients like milk cream, cheese, sugar, banana, camphor, nutmeg, and black pepper.
The beverage is offered to the deities on their respective chariots: Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa, Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja, and Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalana.
The drink is exclusively for the deities and is not consumed by devotees.
It’s a beautiful and unique tradition that adds to the rich cultural tapestry of the Rath Yatra festival.