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Nearly 15 lakh devotees gathered in Puri on Sunday to witness the 'Suna Besha' (golden attire) ritual of Lord Jagannath and His siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. The ritual took place on their chariots stationed in front of the 12th-century shrine amid tight security arrangements.
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Servitors adorned the idols with golden attire, and the 'Suna Besha' began at 4.45 PM—well ahead of the scheduled 6.30 PM start time, according to an official. The deities were decorated with approximately 208 kilograms of gold jewellery during the Suna Besha, a tradition that dates back to 1460 CE.
According to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) schedule, devotees can witness the Suna Besha rituals of the deities up to 11.00 PM tonight.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan expressed that around 15 lakh devotees participated in the divine event, maintaining discipline near the chariots. He assured that all necessary safety and security arrangements had been made for the devotees.
During the Suna Besha ritual, the deities are adorned with a variety of gold ornaments such as gold diadems—known locally as 'Kiriti'—as well as gold-crafted hands and feet. Lord Jagannath is depicted holding a gold Chakra (disc) in his right hand and a silver conch in his left. Lord Balabhadra carries a golden plough in his left hand and a gold mace in his right. Goddess Subhadra is also decorated with different ornaments, according to an official.
As Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple is currently under repair by ASI, the gold ornaments are being stored in a temporary strong room. These valuables were shifted from outer chamber of the Lords’ treasure trove.
Armed police and temple officials escorted the 'Bhandara Mekap' servitor (store in-charge), who delivers the jewellery—embellished with precious stones—to the Puspalaka and Daitapati servitors for decorating the deities.
Odisha Police deployed approximately 205 platoons (each platoon consisting 30 personnel) of state police, along with 800 central armed police force jawans, to manage the crowd and maintain law and order.
To enhance awareness among travelers, LED display panels have been installed at Uttara and Pipilli on the national highway connecting Bhubaneswar and Puri.
