Suna Besha of Lord Jagannath to be held at night due to lunar eclipse

The revered Suna Besha ritual of Lord Jagannath at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will be conducted at night today due to the Ketu-grasta lunar eclipse. Traditionally observed during the daytime, the ceremonial adornment of the deities with gold ornaments has been rescheduled in view of the celestial event and associated religious norms.

According to temple sources, the temple doors were opened at 1:00 am, and the scheduled rituals were completed in the early hours. However, Devaniti (daily ritual practices) have remained suspended from 6:08 am onwards in compliance with established customs observed during an eclipse period.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration stated that the exact timing of Lord Jagannath’s procession to the Dolabedi, whether it will take place in the morning or evening, will depend on the smooth conduct and completion of rituals throughout the day.

Procession Of Chalanti Pratima

As part of the traditional proceedings, after receiving the Agyan Mala of Lord Jagannath, the Chalanti Pratima, Dola Gobinda, along with Bhudevi and Sridevi, will proceed to the Dolabedi in the Mani Bimana. During the ritual, the deities customarily play with abir and phagu in the presence of devotees.

Jagannath culture expert Surya Narayan Rath Sharma said that darshan of Dola Gobinda during this occasion is considered highly auspicious. He noted that Dola Gobinda performs Mandira Parikrama seven times and will similarly undertake 35 circumambulations as part of the observance.

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The temple administration has assured that all rituals will be conducted strictly in accordance with prescribed traditions while adhering to eclipse-related restrictions.