Puri, July 25: The world-famous Suna Besha (Golden Attire) of Lord Jagannath and His sibling deities will be observed on Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi, with the deities adorning their resplendent golden ornaments while seated on their chariots during the annual Rath Yatra festivities.

The sacred ritual will commence after the Madhyahna Dhupa (midday offering). The adornment of the deities is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM and conclude by 6:30 PM, after which devotees will be able to witness the rare and magnificent appearance of the deities in their golden attire.

To ensure smooth darshan for the large number of pilgrims expected, the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration has made elaborate arrangements. Daitapati servitors have been instructed to perform the rituals with utmost care and avoid obstructing devotees' view while decorating the deities.

The deities will remain in the golden attire during the Sandhya Arati and Sandhya Dhupa (evening rituals). The Mahadeepa ceremony is scheduled for 9:15 PM, while the removal of the golden ornaments (Mailam) will take place between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

During the Suna Besha, the deities will be adorned with 138 varieties of gem-studded gold ornaments, including golden hands and feet, jeweled crowns, necklaces, earrings, armlets, waist belts, rings, emerald ornaments, and other traditional embellishments.

Each deity will wear distinct ornaments and symbolic weapons. Lord Balabhadra will be adorned with His golden plough and pestle, Goddess Subhadra with her traditional ornaments and ceremonial weapons, while Lord Jagannath will be decorated with the golden Sudarshan Chakra and silver conch, along with several other sacred ornaments and floral garlands.

The Suna Besha holds special significance as it allows devotees from all communities to have darshan of the deities on the chariots, since entry into the Jagannath Temple is restricted to Hindus. Thousands of devotees gather every year to witness this spectacular event, considered one of the most revered rituals of the Rath Yatra.

Apart from the Rath Yatra, Suna Besha is also observed inside the sanctum of the Jagannath Temple on occasions such as Kartika Purnima, Kumara Purnima, Dola Purnima, and Vijaya Dashami.

According to historical accounts, the tradition dates back to the reign of Gajapati Maharaja Kapilendra Deva, who, after his victorious southern campaign around 1460 CE, dedicated vast quantities of gold and precious jewels brought on 16 elephants to Lord Jagannath. At the request of royal temple officials, the deities were subsequently adorned with these ornaments publicly on the chariots, giving rise to the tradition of the Rath Yatra Suna Besha, also known as Bada Tadhau Besha.