Bhubaneswar: Four hundred devotees from the Odia and other Indian communities gathered in large numbers to observe Snana Purnima, organised by Hindu Society of North Carolina at its temple on Monday. It is considered as one of the most sacred festivals dedicated to Lord Jagannath.The highlight of the celebration was the ‘108 kalash maha snana’, during which devotees performed the ceremonial bathing of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan. “One after another, devotees got the opportunity to offer the sacred water from the 108 consecrated kalashas amid bhajans and chants from the Vedas and ‘Jai Jagannath’ in the temple,” said Ambi Satpathy, a member of the Odia community.The ritual was conducted by the temple purohit, who was assisted by members of the Odia community knowledgeable of the rituals, ensuring that every tradition associated with Snana Purnima was observed with authenticity and devotion.The event showcased dedication of volunteers who served the community from early morning until the celebrations concluded. “They decorated the temple, organised the rituals, coordinated devotees, prepared and served prasad, and ensured the smooth execution of every aspect of the event,” said Satpathy.The prasad was cooked for all attendees. While ‘arna’ (rice) and ‘dalma’ were cooked on the temple premises, volunteers prepared a variety of authentic Odia prasad at home and brought them as offerings. Among those were ‘poda pitha, kakara pitha, chhena poda’, assorted ‘bhaja, khatta, khiri’ among others that reflected Odisha’s rich culinary heritage. Members of other Indian communities also took part in the festivities highlighting Lord Jagannath’s universal message of inclusiveness and equality.Similarly, Snana Purnima was celebrated at Shree Jagannath Temple, UK city of Bath on Monday. Besides following all rituals, the three deities were dressed up in ‘Hati Besha’ (elephant attire) and a prasad of ‘pakhala, saga bhaja’ and ‘badi besara’ that was partaken by all devotees, including foreigners drawn from both England and Scotland. “A satyanarayan katha was also organised that was much appreciated by the foreigners,” said Susmita Rajhansha, founder-member of the temple.
