PURI: After a gap of 26 years, the famous Nagarjuna Besha of the Trinity was performed in Sri Jagannath temple in absence of devotees on Friday.The temple doors opened at 2.45 am and the Besha (costumes and ornaments of the deities) prepared by servitors at Chakrakot in Harchandi Sahi was consecrated by priests. Amid tight security, the Besha was brought in a procession of servitors with musicians playing gongs, cymbals and mrudangas to the temple. The procession reached the temple gate at 3.45 am.
In the sanctum sanctorum, priests performed the Mangal Arati followed by Mailam, Tadapalagi and Abakash. Thereafter, Gopal Bhog was offered. The servitors started to deck up the deities in Nagarjuna attire at 4.45 am. Three set of Simhari and Puspalak servitors began dressing the deities simultaneously and after four hours, the process was completed by 10.45 am. Apart from the Besha prepared by servitors, gold and other ornaments were used from the temple treasury.
Temple managing committee member Ramchandra Dasmahapatra said the ritual was delayed by around three hours. According to the temple schedule, the Besha should have started at 4 am and completed by 7 am. However, the ritual began at 4.45 am and was completed at 10.15 am.
Servitors and priests performed all the nitees and rituals of the deities in absence of devotees. Only servitors were allowed to have darshan of the Besha, he added. Hundreds of devotees had darshan of the Patitapaban image of Lord Jagannath from a distance on Friday morning.
As many as 25 platoons of police force along with two additional SPs and seven deputy SPs were deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the ritual. A four-layer security cover was thrown around the Meghanad Prachir and Badadanda till Marichikot square. On Thursday, the district administration had clamped Section 144 around the temple and on Badadanda for the event.
Puri Collector Balwant Singh and chief administrator of Sri Jagannath temple Dr Krishan Kumar were present. Kumar said the Besha will be kept in the Jagannath Ballav museum for public display.
Ritual performed in Sabar Srikhetra
Jeypore: Nagarajuna Besha rituals were observed at the Jagannath temple in Sabar Srikhetra Koraput amid Covid-19 protocol on Friday. As per tradition, the priests decorated the Trinity on the temple premises and decked up Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra in Bira Besha. All the rituals were performed in strict adherence to Covid norms and no devotees were allowed for darshan. However, the rituals were telecast online for devotees.