Koraput: The grand Snana Yatra (Holy Bath Festival) of Lord Jagannath was celebrated today with great devotion at Shabar Shreekhetra, the Jagannath Temple of Koraput.
In the morning, the sevayats (temple servitors) collected water in 108 pots from the nearby Sunakua and brought it to the Snana Mandap (bathing platform). After completing the rituals like Anna Bhoga and other offerings, the deities were ceremonially brought in a procession (Dhadi Pahandi) from the sanctum to the Snana Mandap.
There, after special puja (worship), the Lords were bathed ceremoniously. Following the bath, Lord Jagannath appeared in the unique Gajanan Besha (elephant form) for public darshan.
Notable attendees at the Snana Yatra included District Collector and Temple Committee Chairman V. Keerthi Vasan, MLA Raghu Ram Machh, Municipal Chairperson Lalat Ranjan Sethi, and probationary IAS officer Santosh Kumar Marapatra, among others.
Thousands of devotees witnessed and paid their respects to the Lord in his Gajanan appearance. Temple Committee Secretary Bhavani Shankar Acharya oversaw all rituals and ensured everything proceeded smoothly. He also coordinated necessary measures for the proper execution of the rituals.
With support from the district administration, police, committee members, and sevayats, the Snana Yatra was conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner. From today till Netrotsav (the Eye Festival), the deities will remain in Anasara Gruha (a secluded chamber) and receive secret worship.
As per the tradition of Shabar Shreekhetra, this secret worship will be carried out by tribal priests, preserving the ancient customs.