Finance
The sacred Adhara Pana ritual of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra will be conducted on their respective chariots in Puri on Sunday as part of the ongoing Rath Yatra celebrations.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has made all necessary arrangements to ensure the ancient ritual runs smoothly.
The temple management has made extensive preparations for the ritual, working in collaboration with Raghavadas Matha and Bada Odiya Matha. Nine freshly prepared earthen pots for the Adhara Pana offering have been set aside for the rite.
According to the SJTA’s schedule, preparations for the Adhara Pana will begin once the Madhyahna Dhupa ritual is completed. The rites on the chariots will begin with the Mangala Alati at 6 a.m., followed by other customary ceremonies. The Madhyahna Dhupa is set for 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm, after which the Adhara Pana preparations will be commence.
The ritual for all three chariots is anticipated to be completed by 8 p.m. The ceremony has a special position in the yearly Rath Yatra tradition and is held before the deities return to the Shree Jagannath Temple for the Niladri Bije ceremony.
As part of the process, temple servitors prepare a specific sacred drink known as Adhara Pana in accordance with age-old traditions. Ingredients used in the preparation include milk, chhena, sugar, bananas, and spices. The drink is subsequently presented to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra in their separate chariots.
During the ceremony, big earthen pots filled with Adhara Pana are put near the mouths of the deities riding the chariot. The ritual’s name comes from this technique, with ‘Adhara’ referring to the lips and ‘Pana’ indicating a drink.
Temple servants undertake unique rituals and serve the hallowed beverage alongside customary mantras and ceremonies. Following the completion of the offering, the earthen pots are ceremonially shattered on the chariots in accordance with age-old tradition.
According to religious beliefs, the Adhara Pana gift is offered not just for the presiding deities, but also for celestial beings, guardian deities, and invisible spiritual companions who are said to have accompanied Lord Jagannath on the Rath Yatra voyage.
During the ceremony, big earthen pots filled with Adhara Pana are put near the mouths of the deities riding the chariot. The ritual’s name comes from this technique, with ‘Adhara’ referring to the lips and ‘Pana’ indicating a drink.
Temple servants undertake unique rituals and serve the hallowed beverage alongside customary mantras and ceremonies. Following the completion of the offering, the earthen pots are ceremonially shattered on the chariots in accordance with age-old tradition.
According to religious beliefs, the Adhara Pana gift is offered not just for the presiding deities, but also for celestial beings, guardian deities, and invisible spiritual companions who are said to have accompanied Lord Jagannath on the Rath Yatra voyage.
The breaking of the pots marks the end of the sacred offering and is an important ritual milestone before the deities return to the main temple.
The Adhara Pana ceremony remains one of the most revered traditions associated with Lord Jagannath’s world-renowned Rath Yatra.
