Jai Jagannath and a concert of drums, cymbals, bugles and ghantas.
They were taken to the bathing altar (called Snana Bedi) located at the outer temple complex. The bathing altar is a huge raised platform overlooking the grand road facing the east. Priests consecrated the water brought from the sacred well located inside the temple complex.
A total 108 pitchers of aromatic and herbal water was used in the Lord's bathing. The water was drawn out from the golden well of the temple. The Gajapati King Divyasingh Dev performed the ceremonial Cherapahanra sweeping round the deities atop the Snana Bedi which was completed at around 3.15 pm.
Soon after that the deities were decked with elephant attire reflecting them as the incarnation of Lord Ganesha. Later the priests offered bhog to the deities before public darshan called Sahanamela was allowed.
Devotees from far off places of the state and out side had converged in the city to witness the ritual.
About 34 platoons of armed police personnel were on duty to ensure safe and smooth conduct of the Ritual.
Metal detector gates and close circuit TV cameras were used to monitor the crowd movement. District Magistrate Rasmiranjan Pattnaik, Superintendent of Police Asit Kumar Panigrahi and Temple Chief Administrator S. N. Sarangi were present.
Late in the night, the deities were to be taken into a solitary place in the temple called Anasar house (room for the sick) where they would recline to bed for 15 days while supposedly suffering from fever. They would be treated by the temple doctor with herbal medicines and were to live on fruits served by the Daita servitors.
The deities would give public darshan a day prior to the Rath Yatra known as Navayouvan darshan.
As public darshan remains closed for the fortnight devotees rush to Alarnath temple at Brahmagiri 23 km away from Puri following the popular belief that Lord Jagannath manifests into the Alarnath Dev during the period.
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