All You Need To Know About The Sacred Devasnana Purnima!

A divine glimpse into Lord Jagannath’s mystical rituals ✨

Devasnana Purnima, also known as Snana Yatra, is one of the most sacred festivals in the Jagannath culture. Celebrated on the full moon day of the Jyestha month (May–June), it marks the ceremonial bathing of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra at the Snana Mandap in Puri, Odisha. This year it is on the 11th of June, which is today.

This is the first occasion in the year as per the Hindu calendar, when the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Sudarshan, and Madanmohan are brought out from the Jagannath Temple (Puri) and taken in a procession to the Snana Bedi.

This bathing platform is situated to the north-east of Ananda Bazar and beside the outer wall of the temple (called Meghanada Pacheri in the local language).

🛁 The Rituals:
On this day, the deities are brought out from the sanctum to the Snana Bedi (bathing platform) in a grand Pahandi procession. Here, they are bathed with 108 pots of sacred water drawn from the golden well within the temple premises. This symbolic bathing ritual purifies and energizes the universe. There the Deities are ceremonially bathed and dressed up in Sada Besha after the bath.

In the evening, after the bathing ritual, the Deities assume the special elephant form which is otherwise known as ‘Hati Vesha’.

Lord Jagannath and Lord Balaram will be dressed like elephants and Goddess Subhadra wears a lotus flower vesha.

🌿 Anasara Begins:
After the elaborate Snana Yatra, the deities fall ill due to the ritualistic bath and go into a period of rest called Anasara for 15 days. During this time, they remain hidden from public view and are believed to be nursed with herbal medicines. 

After Snana Yatra, the Deities are kept in a special sick room called the ‘Ratan Vedi’ inside the temple. They stay away from the public view for a period of 15 days.

During Anasara the Deities are offered only fruits and water mixed with cheese and Dasamula medicines to cure them from fever. 

Since the deities are not available for darshan in the main Jagannath temple during Anasara, devotees seek blessings at the Alarnath Temple in Brahmagiri, around 25 km from Puri.

The deities having been washed during the snana yatra, need repainting. The Daitas repaint the images with new colors and on the 16th day, the Deities appear in their new forms after coloration, become ready for darshan by the public.

Devotees eagerly wait for the next darshan during Netrotsava, just before the grand Rath Yatra. The festival of the first appearance of the Lord Jagannath to his devotees is called ‘Netrotsava’ (festival for the eyes) or ‘Nava Yauvanotsava’ (festival of the ever new youth).

The next day the Lordships head off for their wonderful and majestic Ratha yatra Festival.

This year Netrotsava will be celebrated on 26th June 2025 and Rath Yatra on 27th June 2025.