Pralambasura Badha Besha of Lord Balabhadra at Puri Srimandir today, know its significance

The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will witness the Pralambasura Badha Besha of Lord Balabhadra on Wednesday on the occasion of Bhadra Krishna Paksha Dwadashi.

As per tradition, the ritual will be held after the ‘madhyana dhupa’ of the deities. On this day, only Lord Balabhadra will be adorned in the Pralambasura Badha Besha while Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra will remain in their regular attire.

The Besha portrays the mythological episode where demon Pralambasura, disguised to harm Krishna and Balarama, was ultimately slain by Lord Balabhadra with a mighty fist blow. 

To depict the scene, a nearly four-foot-tall wooden idol of Pralambasura will be placed on the Ratna Singhasan beneath Lord Balabhadra.

During the adornment, Lord Balabhadra will be decorated with a plough (hala) and a mace (musala) in his two hands, symbolising his divine strength and victory over evil.

The ritual, performed in the afternoon, is an annual tradition at Srimandir and draws devotees who gather to witness the symbolic slaying of the demon.