Puri: A day after the holy Trinity were offered Adhara Pana- a special drink after their tiring nine day journey followed by Suna Besha, the deities are all set to enter the sanctum sanctorum of Srimandir during Niladri Bije today.
Niladri Bije is the concluding ritual of Rath Yatra during which the Lords are offered Rasagola by servitors before the Pahandi ceremony. Lakhs of devotees are expected to turn up to witness this annual event.
As per the ritual, the deities will be escorted in ‘Goti Pahandi’ to the temple after the ‘Sandhya Dhoopa’.
This over, Lord Sudarshan will be taken to the ‘Ratna Singhasan’ first followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath.
Meanwhile, Lord Jagannath will be first escorted to the ‘Bheta Mandap’ in Pahandi where He will meet Goddess Laxmi and offer her Rasagolas. It is believed that the sweet is offered to appease Goddess Laxmi, who was upset after the holy Trinity went on the sojourn leaving her behind at the temple. Following this ritual, Lord Jagannath is taken to the Ratna Singhasan where He will join his siblings.
On Wednesday, the holy Trinity was offered ‘Adhara Pana’ in earthen pitchers on their respective chariots. The drink was offered after a ‘Sodosha Upachar Pooja’ following which the pitchers were smashed on the chariots spilling the entire drink on the floor of the chariots. It is believed that evil spirits who trail the Lords during Rath Yatra attain salvation (Mokshya) by drinking the spilled holy drink on the chariot decks.