JAJPUR: Thousands of devotees congregated at the Daswashamedh ghat on the banks of Baitarani river to take part in the Baruni Snana ritual on Tuesday.
Over 60,000 people from across the state took a holy dip at the ghat and offered ‘pinda’ to their forefathers on the riverbanks as a part of the ritual.
Later, they visited the temple of Maa Biraja, the presiding deity of the district and Jagannath temple in Jajpur town. They also offered prayers at Varaha, Yama Maa Sata Bhauni and Shani temples in the district.
Baruni Snana is traditionally observed during the Hindu month of Chaitra under the Dwadashi tithi on Shatabhisha Nakshatra, making it an important occasion for ritual bathing and spiritual observances.
This year, the ritual was marked by a partial ‘Baruni Buda Joga’, an astronomical alignment that determines the timing of immersion. As per the schedule, the auspicious bathing period began at 5.30 am and continued till 8.00 am on the day.
The Jajpur administration made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the ritual. Adequate security personnel were deployed at key points, and crowd management measures were put in place at the ghat.