‘Suna Besha’ of Lord Jagannath takes place sans devotees in Puri

Amid tight security, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were on Thursday adorned with glittering jewellery on their chariots in a special ritual called ‘Suna Besha’ in this seaside pilgrim town, in the absence of devotees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ensconced in three majestic wooden chariots parked in front of the Shree Jagannath Temple, the celestial siblings donned ‘Suna Besha’ or golden attire, a day after their return from Shree Gundicha Temple--their birth place--completing a nine-day sojourn.

Unlike yesteryears, the rituals were performed without the gathering of devotees on the Bada Danda, the Grand Road facing the 12th century shrine due to the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court in view of coronavirus pandemic.

The world famous Rath Yatra on June 23 and the Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of the Lords, were held sans public attendance as the apex court had on June 22 allowed the annual festival, only in Puri, and on condition that a limited number of servitors will participate and there would be no congregation.

The Puri district administration has made all necessary arrangements in compliance with the court order for the conduct of the Rath Yatra in a smooth and disciplined manner without public attendance, Puri Collector Balwant Singh said.

Though the curfew was relaxed from 5 am to 3 pm on Thursday, curbs were reimposed from 3 pm to 10 pm for the Suna Besha, while restriction on public congregation was clamped on the Grand Road from Market Square to Singhdwara, he said.

Director General of Police Abhay, Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Krishan Kumar and the Collector have appealed to people to refrain from thronging the Grand Road to have a glimpse of the Lords and watch the entire proceedings on television at home.

As per the centuries-old practice, the Lords are attired in gold jewellery on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Asadha. The golden avatar, also called the ‘Rajadhiraja Besha’, of the sibling deities is performed a day after the Bahuda Yatra when the Lords return from Shree Gundicha temple.

As per the temple records, the 'Suna Besha' of the Lords is being held since the reign of King Kapilendra Deb in 1430. The deities wear glittering gold jewellery weighing nearly three quintals.

The ornaments are stored at Srimandir’s treasury called Ratna Bhandar. The king had earned the gold after defeating other kingdoms and deposited them with the temple, a temple official said quoting the shrine records.

The sibling deities are adorned with different varieties of gold ornaments from head till the toe.

Normally, lakhs of devotees, many of them from far off places throng the pilgrim town to witness the grand event, but this time the Grand Road wore an empty look as the sea of devotees was missing because of the pandemic.

While Lord Jagannath holds a gold 'chakra' (wheel) in his right hand and silver 'sankha' (conch) in his left hand; his elder brother Lord Balabhadra holds a gold 'hala' (plough) in his left hand and a golden 'gada' (mace) in his right hand, a temple official said.

The deities are adorned with gold jewellery five times in a year. While four such events take place inside the temple, one Suna Besha is held while the celestial siblings are on the gigantic wooden chariots in front of the Sreemandir.

The SJTA and the district administration have made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the Suna Besha, while police personnel in strength were deployed and barricades erected at several places to prevent people from proceeding to the Bada Danda during the event.

SJTA chief administrator Krishan Kumar said the rituals were telecast live on television to enable the devotees around the world to have darshan and watch the grand event.

On Wednesday, the Bahuda Yatra concluded in a peaceful and smooth manner after the three gigantic chariots carrying the deities and pulled by COVID-19 negative servitors reached the Singhadwar, the Lions Gate, of Shree Jagannath Temple upon completion of their nine-day sojourn to Gundicha Temple.

The deities, who had embarked on the nine-day sojourn to the Sree Gundicha Temple during Rath Yatra on June 23, would finally re-enter the main shrine and again be placed on the 'Ratna Simhasana', the bejewelled throne, following a ceremony called 'Neeladribije' on July 4.

The Puri district administration has made it clear that there will be restrictions on non-essential movement of public till July 4.

"I request all to have ‘darshan’ of the Holy Trinity on television by staying at home," the Collector said.

All hotels and lodges in the district have been asked not to accommodate tourists and visitors during the four days and continue their bookings only after that period, he said, adding all commercial outfits on the Grand Road in Puri will remain closed during the period.