Bhubaneswar: Jagannath Temple in Puri is set to host the annual Debasnan Purnima on Monday, with the govt fine‑tuning massive arrangements on Sunday for the grand ritual that precedes Rath Yatra on July 16.At least 23 rituals will be performed during the festival, with Shree Jagannath Temple Administration issuing clear guidelines and seeking servitors’ cooperation to uphold discipline and ensure every ritual is completed on time.“We have made all arrangements for smooth conduct of the festival. Servitors have pledged to complete rituals on time. Massive security and traffic measures are in place,” said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, chief administrator of SJTA.In the early hours, the sibling deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra — will be bathed ceremonially on Snan Mandap (bathing dais) and later appear in Hati Besha, donning elephant attire in the evening.Following tradition, the idols will then be confined to the Anasara Ghar (symbolic sick or isolated room) inside the shrine for a fortnight, believed to be recuperating from fever after the grand bath, and treated with Ayurvedic remedies until Rath Yatra.During this period, while the main deities would remain out of bounds for 15 days, their representative images painted on tussar cloth, known as Patti Dian, will be worshipped.“Pattachitras are integral to temple tradition. In Anasara Ghara, Patti Dians of Lord Jagannath as Ananta Narayan, goddess Subhadra as Bhubaneswari and Lord Balabhadra as Ananta Basudev are worshipped,” said another senior temple official.Security has been scaled up to manage the expected surge of devotees. “We anticipate heavy footfall like last year. Smooth darshan and convenience of devotees are our priority. Nearly 79 platoons have been deployed for crowd control, traffic regulation and overall security,” said Puri SP Prateek Singh.Special barricades have been erected at Snan Mandap to regulate queues, while advanced CCTV cameras cover all barricaded zones. Dedicated response teams, anti‑snatching squads and a striking force remain on standby to tackle emergencies and contingencies.
