Bhubaneswar, July 7 (IANS) The servitors of Jagannath Temple on Monday conducted a significant ritual called ‘Adharapana’ before the holy siblings – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra – seated on their chariots near the 12th century shrine at Puri.

The significant ritual related to the annual Rath Yatra began at 4.30 pm and continued till 9 pm on Monday. Traditionally, this ritual takes place after the Suna Besha of the deities. Thousands of devotees gathered at the holy city to witness the divine ritual of the deities on Monday.

As per tradition, a special drink is offered to the deities in nine cylindrical pots large enough to reach up to the lips of the deities on their chariots.

This ritual is known as ‘Adharapana’ with the joining of two words – ‘Adhara'(lips) and ‘Pana’ (delicious drink prepared with the mixture of jaggery, coconut gratings, cottage cheese, gram flour and other ingredients).

The servitors broke nine large earthen pots, three each placed before Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, filled with sweet drinks after offering them to the deities.

The spillover drink is meant for the subsidiary deities placed on the chariots, evil spirits and ghostly bodies. The devotees are forbidden to collect and drink the Adharapana.

This signifies the end of Rath Yatra as the deities in a ceremonial procession will return to their sanctum sanctorum on Tuesday. The special ritual popularly called Niladri Bije is held on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of Ashadha.

Niladri Bije is the last phase of the Rath Yatra, which began on June 27. Lord Jagannath will enter the 12th century after pacifying an angry Goddess Laxmi by offering her Rasagola during the Niladri Bije ritual.

The devotees will have the darshan of the deities on the Ratna Singhasana (the bėjeweled platform) from Thursday. This year’s Ratha Yatra was marked by the unfortunate stampede incident that claimed the lives of three pilgrims near the Gundicha Temple on June 29, as well as chaos during the pulling of chariots on June 27.

–IANS

gyan/dan