Jun 23, 2013 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA

Jun 23, 2013 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — Braving heavy rains, a large number of pilgrims thronged Puri on Sunday to watch the annual Debasnana Purnima, a bathing ceremony of the reigning Deities at Jagannath Temple.

Temple officials said the festival went on smoothly in the backdrop of a face-off between the temple administration and a section of priests over the shrine body's plan of restricting pilgrims from touching the Deities aboard chariots during Rath Yatra.

Debasnan Purnima is a major festival observed prior to Rath Yatra. This year's Rath Yatra is on July 10th. Devotees made a beeline to the front of the 12th century shrine from early morning to view Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra being given ceremonial bath. After being escorted out of the temple's sanctum sanctorum, the Deities were ferried to the bathing altar located at the outer temple complex, facing the Grand Road. There, the Divine Siblings were given ceremonial bath following completion of the proscribed rituals. 

"A total 108 pitchers of aromatic and herbal water was fetched from suna kua of the temple. The well would remain unused till the next year's bathing ceremony. Thereafter the Deities were decorated in elephant attire, symbolizing the incarnation of Lord Ganesha," said Laxmidhar Pujapanda, the Public Relations Officer of the temple.

Security was tightened for smooth conduct of the festival. Temple authorities said the rituals went on smoothly. "Priests cooperated with us in the timely completion of rituals," said Pujapanda.

The triad Deities will now remain out of bounds for devotees for a fortnight, as They fall 'sick' after taking the grand bath. The Deities, whose daily rituals are tantamount to a transcendental version of the living style of a human being, will undergo treatment by the shrine vaidyas (Ayurveda doctors) for fifteen days, thus devotees cannot have a glimpse of Them during these days. The Deities will fully recuperate from 'fever' on July 8th and will appear before pilgrims in a rejuvenated look on the occasion of Nabajouvan darshan (rejuvenation) on that same day.

Since the presiding Deities of Puri Dham will remain inaccessible for fifteen days, pilgrims can have the darshan of the representative idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra in the temple during these days. 

http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/news/06-13/news4880.htm