Snana Yatra 2026: Puri gears up for Deba Snana Purnima ahead of Rath Yatra – Rituals, significance, and other details
Celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, Snana Yatra marks the first public appearance of the deities every year outside the sanctum sanctorum of the Shree Jagannath Temple. This year, the festival will be celebrated on June 29, about a fortnight before the Rath Yatra.
Extensive preparations have been made by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), district authorities and Odisha Police to ensure smooth conduct of the rituals and manage the expected influx of devotees.
SJTA Chief Executive Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee said, “We have made all arrangements for the festival to go off smoothly. The servants have promised to complete the rituals on time. Heavy security and traffic measures have been taken.”
Key Rituals
At least 23 rituals will be performed during the festival. The day will begin with Mangala Arati before dawn, followed by Dwaralagi and Pushpanjali. The Pahandi Bije procession will then carry the deities from Ratna Singhasana to Snana Mandap, accompanied by chants of “Jai Jagannath” by thousands of devotees.
The central ritual, known as Jala Bije, involves bathing the deities with 108 jugs of holy water taken from the sacred Suna Kua. The water is purified and infused with sandalwood, aromatic herbs and flowers.
The number 108 has special significance in Hindu philosophy and symbolizes wholeness and cosmic harmony. After the ceremonial bath, Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra will appear in Hati Besha, also known as Gaja Besha, while Goddess Subhadra will be adorned with a lotus-themed decoration.
Importance of Hati Besha
According to temple tradition, Hati Besha is linked to the legend of Pandit Ganapati Bhatta, a devotee of Lord Ganesha who visited Puri in the 15th century. It is believed that Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra fulfilled his wish by manifesting in the form of Ganesha and the annual tradition came into being.
The outfit also symbolically evokes the blessings of Lord Ganesha before the start of Rath Yatra festivities.
Anasara Era Begins
After Hati Besha, the deities will move to Anasara Ghar where they will remain out of public view for about 15 days. Temple tradition holds that the gods developed a divine fire following a ceremonial bath and were cured by Ayurvedic treatment.
During this period, devotees will worship representative images painted on tussar cloth known as Patti Dian. These depict Lord Jagannath as Ananta Narayan, Goddess Subhadra as Bhubaneswari and Lord Balabhadra as Ananta Basudev.
The deities will reappear during Netrotsav, also known as Nava Jaubana Darshan, on the eve of Rath Yatra.
Security and Crowd Management
Authorities have strengthened security arrangements across Puri for the festival. Puri SP Prateek Singh said around 79 platoons of police personnel have been deployed for crowd management, traffic regulation and security.
While special barricades have been erected around Snana Mandap, nearly 200 CCTV cameras have been installed all over the city for surveillance. Special response teams, anti-snatching teams and strike forces were also kept on standby.
While devotees will be allowed to enter the temple through Singhadwara, public darshan inside the shrine will remain suspended till 2 pm to facilitate uninterrupted conduct of rituals.
Snana Yatra is considered one of the most important festivals of Jagannath culture and symbolizes purification, renewal and divine compassion. The festival also marks the beginning of a series of sacred rituals that culminate in the annual Rath Yatra.
