In Odisha, the revered sibling deities of the Sri Jagannath Temple have entered the sacred ‘Anasara’ period following the ceremonial ‘Snana Purnima’ ritual, as they are traditionally believed to be recuperating from fever. With the deities remaining away from public view, an unceasing stream of devotees is now heading to the Alarnath Temple at Brahmagiri, where Lord Alarnath is worshipped during this interlude.

 

The deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are presently undergoing the sacred ‘Anasar’ ritual, following the annual ‘Snana Purnima’ ceremony in Puri. According to centuries-old tradition, the divine siblings are believed to have developed fever after the ceremonial bath and are being administered indigenous herbal treatment by the Daita servitors within the sanctum. During this period, regular darshan at the Sri Jagannath Temple remains suspended.

 

Meanwhile, thousands of devotees are thronging the Alarnath Temple at Brahmagiri, revered as the abode of Lord Alarnath during the ‘Anasara’ period. The Puri district administration has put in place elaborate arrangements to ensure orderly pilgrimage and seamless crowd management.