PURI: Puri witnessed a massive turnout of devotees on Wednesday as the sacred Kartika month came to an end with the Rajrajeswar Besha (Suna Besha) of the Trinity on Kartika Purnima. Over three lakh devotees witnessed the Rajrajeswar Besha.
A large number of Habisyalis spent the night along the Srimandir Parikrama corridor and the Grand Road, listening to devotional bhajans and discourses. As dawn broke, devotees carrying tulsi plants on their heads proceeded to Mahodadhi, the 5 km stretch of beach from Swargadwar to Chakratirtha, to perform the concluding rituals of the Kartika Brata.
They took a holy dip in the sea, offered prayers to the rising sun, sailed miniature boats on the waves, and visited the Shree Jagannath temple to witness the Rajrajeswar Besha of the deities. Those unable to reach the sea took ritual baths in the four holy ponds within the town.
The Srimandir servitors began the daily rituals at midnight on Thursday, performing Mangal Arati, Mailum, Tadaplagi, Abakash, Surya Puja, Rosa Homa, and offering Gopal Bhoga. After completing the daily chores, three special groups of servitors adorned the deities with gold ornaments, covering limbs, feet, insignias, tiaras, and gem-studded necklaces. The dressing ceremony lasted nearly two hours.
The state government had hosted around 2,600 Habisyalis from across Odisha to observe the Kartika Brata at its expense. They were housed in four accommodations, including the seven-storey Brundabati Nibas, which can host over 1,000 devotees. These facilities were equipped with all basic amenities and arrangements for performing religious rites.
The Habisyalis were provided breakfast and Mahaprasad lunch, transportation between the camps and temple, priests for rituals, scholars for evening discourses, and healthcare support throughout the month-long observance.
Around 45 platoons of police were deployed for smooth conduct of the Kartika Brata rituals. A one km-long barricade was set up from Simhadwar to Bagala Dharmashala along the Grand Road, allowing devotees to enter through Simhadwar and exit through the temple’s other three gates.
Over 300 lifeguards and two special fire services teams were stationed at the sea beach and the four holy water bodies to prevent drowning incidents. Puri collector Dibya Jyoti Parida, SP Pratik Singh, and chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Arabinda Padhee supervised the arrangements.