Bhubaneswar– A wave of devotion swept through the sacred city of Puri on Sunday as lakhs of devotees gathered to witness the ‘Suna Besha’—a majestic ritual in which the holy siblings, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, are adorned with dazzling gold ornaments while seated on their chariots.
The divine spectacle unfolded in front of the Singhadwara (Lion Gate) of the revered Jagannath Temple, where the deities—resplendent in golden finery—sat atop their chariots following the Bahuda Yatra, or return journey of the Rath Yatra. Despite the massive turnout, no untoward incidents were reported during the ritual, ensuring a peaceful and spiritually charged atmosphere.
As per tradition, the deities were decorated with over 208 kg of gold ornaments, including golden limbs, headgear, intricately shaped garlands, a golden chakra (discus), silver conches, and symbolic items such as a golden ploughshare and pestle. Locally, this ornate ritual is known as Suna Besha, also referred to as Rajarajeswar Besha or Bada Tadhau Besha in Odia.
According to scholars and temple servitors, the Suna Besha tradition was introduced in 1460 CE during the reign of Gajapati King Kapilendra Deva. It is believed that the ritual began at the behest of the Tadhau Karan, a special category of temple servitors. Historical records indicate that the king commissioned the creation of 138 types of gold ornaments for the deities, some of which are embedded with precious gemstones.
While the divine adornment enthralled devotees, the overwhelming influx of pilgrims caused severe traffic congestion in and around the holy town. All designated parking areas reached full capacity, and several arterial roads leading to Puri witnessed long hours of gridlock.
The spiritual festivities will continue, with the deities scheduled to return to the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple during the special ritual of Niledri Bije on Tuesday. (Source: IANS)
