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Hundreds of devotees flocked to the Alarnath Temple near Brahmagiri in Odisha’s Puri district today, as the Deities of the Shree Jagannath Temple were removed from public view yesterday following the grand bathing ritual on the occasion of Debasnana Purnima.
After falling ill after bathing with 108 pitchers of holy water, the Deities enter a fortnight-long hibernation known as ‘Anasara’ or ‘Anavasara.’ During this time, devotees seek the deities’ blessings at Alarnath Temple, a 13th-century shrine.
The temple administration has made elaborate preparations to ensure a smooth darshan. Devotees had been flocking to the temple since early in the morning.
Pilgrims come here not only to see the presiding deity, but also to sample the famous khiri (rice porridge).
The Alarnath temple, known for its unique idol of a four-armed standing Vishnu made of black chlorite, becomes the place to visit during the anasara of the Jagannath temple’s sibling trio, who are said to fall sick after a lavish bath on Debasnana Purnima.
Residents of Brahmagiri believe that the Alarnath temple became a popular pilgrimage site during this time period after saint Chaitanya visited it after missing the sight of Lord Jagannath in Puri during Anasara.
According to legend, the temple is named after Rajasthan’s Alwar royal dynasty. The shrine is thought to have been built by one of the Alwar rulers. As a result, it was given the name Alwarnath, which was later changed to Alarnath. The khiri prepared here is in high demand all year and has an intriguing legend behind it.
According to popular belief, the temple priest once forgot to offer Khiri to the deity despite having prepared it. When the priest realized what had happened and returned to offer it, he discovered the khiri drops on the face of the idol. The deity is said to have tasted the offering.
During the anasara period, patta paintings known as ‘Anasara patti’ or ‘Anavasara patti’ of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra are worshipped in the 12th century shrine.
Furthermore, the darshan of Patitapabana—the representative image of Lord Jagannath on the right side of the temple’s main entrance from Simha Dwara—is closed. Patitapabana’s Anasara patti is also placed in front of the main entrance for public viewing.
Source:Web
