PURI: The Trinity sparkled in golden attire atop their respective chariots during the Suna Besha ritual on Wednesday. For two years in a row, no devotees were present to witness the gold-decked deities due to the prevailing Covid situation.
The deities donned golden limbs and their insignias, conch and chakra for Lord Jagannath and gold plough for Lord Balabhadra.
These apart, big gold tiaras (head gears) were fixed on their head and a number of ornaments of various sizes adorned their necks.
Three separate sets of dressers called Simharis along with some senior Daita servitors dressed the deities in the golden attire simultaneously. It took them around one and a half hours to complete the Suna Besha.
Earlier in the morning, priests performed Mangala Alati, Mailum, Tadap Lagi, Abakash before offering Gopal Bhog. Thereafter, Sakala Dhupa was offered followed by Madhyana Dhupa.
At 4 pm, the process for Suna Besha began with the Bhandar Mekap (assistant treasurer of Sri Jagannath Temple) opening the Bahar Bhandar (outer compartment of the treasury) in presence of Pattajoshi Mahapatra, Deulakaran, Pratihari and police.
The ornaments and jewellery of the Trinity kept in separate boxes were brought out amid tight security and handed over to servitors on the three chariots. The Suna Besha ritual was completed at 5.30 pm.
After about four hours of Suna Besha, servitors removed the ornaments and deposited those in the temple treasury. A complex set of rituals were then observed which continued till late in the night. After Badasimhar Besha, curtains were drawn over the chariots.
The deities would be offered Adharpana on the chariots on Thursday night and escorted into the sanctum sanctorum of Srimandir in Pahandi, also called Niladri Bije, on Friday.
The story of Suna Besha
Suna Besha is also called Badachadhau Besha.
According to Madala Panji, the then Puri Gajapati (King) Kapilendradeb returned victorious from his South expedition in 1460 AD and presented huge gold and precious ornaments to Lord Jagannath.
His minister Badachadhau Pattnaik advised the king to observe Suna Besha of the deities on chariots so that devotees who were not allowed into the temple could have darshan of the Trinity in their golden glory.
The king agreed and named the ritual after his minister Badachadhau.
Suna Besha is the only one to be observed outside Ratnasimhasan.