Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannath in Puri don sacred ‘Hati Besha’; Devotees bid emotional farewell before ‘Anasara’

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

PURI, JUNE 29, 2026

 In a spiritually uplifting spectacle witnessed by thousands of devotees, the divine sibling deities of the Shree Jagannath Temple — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra — were adorned in their magnificent traditional attires following the sacred Snana Jatra on Monday, marking one of the most cherished rituals in the annual religious calendar.

After the ceremonial holy bath on the Snana Bedi of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple, Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra appeared in the revered Hati Besha (Elephant Attire), while Devi Subhadra was resplendent in the graceful Padma Besha (Lotus Attire), captivating devotees with their divine splendour.

The sacred adornment was performed by temple servitors after the traditional Chhera Panhara ritual conducted by the Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb. Thousands of devotees from across the country thronged the holy city for a glimpse of the deities in their rare and enchanting attire, believed to bestow immense spiritual merit.

The Hati Besha is steeped in sacred legend. According to temple tradition, Lord Jagannath manifested Himself as Lord Ganesha before an ardent devotee, Ganapati Bhatt, on the Snana Bedi during the 15th century. Since then, the divine elephant attire has remained an integral part of the Snana Jatra celebrations. As per tradition, the Hati Besha is offered by the revered Raghab Das and Gopal Tirtha mutts.

Following the grand bathing ceremony, the deities are believed to contract a divine fever and are ceremonially shifted to the Anasara Gruha, where they remain in seclusion for 14 days for ritual healing. During this sacred period, devotees are deprived of their darshan, making Monday's Hati Besha the last public appearance of the Holy Trinity before the Anasara observance.

The deities will re-emerge in youthful radiance during the eagerly awaited Nabajauban Darshan, heralding their recovery and setting the stage for the world-famous Rath Yatra, when they will embark on their majestic journey to the Srigundicha Temple amidst chants of devotion and unparalleled religious fervour.