Finance
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is dedicated to Lord Jagannath and his siblings, who are revered as corporeal embodiments of the limitless and omnipresent Brahman. The Snana Yatra, a major rite in the temple’s calendar, commemorates dedication, tradition, and the divine bond between the deities and their adherents.
With Snana Purnima rites ongoing, the temple is alive with the sounds of Vedic mantras, conch shell blowing, and deep kirtan music. On this day, the deities are given a ceremonial bath, followed by the grandiose Hati Besha, during which they are dressed in elephant costume reminiscent of Lord Ganesha.
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is dedicated to Lord Jagannath and his siblings, who are revered as corporeal embodiments of the limitless and omnipresent Brahman. The Snana Yatra, a major rite in the temple’s calendar, commemorates dedication, tradition, and the divine bond between the deities and their adherents.
With Snana Purnima rites ongoing, the temple is alive with the sounds of Vedic mantras, conch shell blowing, and deep kirtan music. On this day, the deities are given a ceremonial bath, followed by the grandiose Hati Besha, during which they are dressed in elephant costume reminiscent of Lord Ganesha.
Story Behind Hati Besha
According to researchers, the Lord of the Universe had given darshan to Ganapati Bhatt, a staunch devotee of lord Ganesha, on the Snana Mandap on the auspicious occasion of Snana Purnima.
In the 15th century, Pandit Ganapati Bhatt visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri. He saw the deities on the Snana Mandap during Snana Purnima but felt unsatisfied as he wanted to see Lord Ganesha in Lord Jagannath.
As Pandit Ganapati Bhatt was leaving the temple disappointed, Lord Jagannath, disguised as a priest, stopped him and asked him to return. Upon returning, Bhatt was amazed to see the deities transformed, with Lord Jagannath and Balabhadra resembling Ganesha. Overwhelmed, Bhatt had his desired darshan. From then on, the deities have been dressed in Gajanan Besha (elephant attire) every year on Snana Purnima, after their ceremonial bath.
Another tradition states that scholar Ganpati Bhatta paid a visit to the Puri King’s court. The king invited Bhatta to witness the Snana Yatra, but he declined, citing his devotion to Lord Ganesha. After several requests, he reluctantly attended the wedding. To his surprise, he saw Ganesha rather than Lord Jagannath, and Balabhadra also appeared as Ganesha. He realised that Jagannath and Balabhadra, out of compassion, had taken on the shape of Ganesha to grant his requests.
Since then, priests have decked the deities with the Hati Besha during the bathing ritual. This ancient ceremony attracts lakhs of followers to Puri, who think that seeing the deities during this time can purify them of their sins.
