The deities of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri gave darshan to lakhs of devotees on Sunday during the Suna Vesha, adorned in dazzling gold attire atop their chariots.
Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were decked in gold ornaments, with their arms, palms and feet glinting.
Elaborate security arrangements were in place to ensure a smooth and safe event. The Odisha police deployed drones and AI-enabled cameras to manage the crowd and issued traffic advisories urging devotees to plan their visit accordingly.
The Suna Veshabegan around 5pm and continued until 11pm. Though the event passed peacefully, an elderly devotee sustained injuries after a fall close to the temple. He was shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack.
The ritual saw the use of nearly 138 types of gold ornaments including kiriti, sribhuja, sripahara, kundala, and four varieties of garlands — baghamali, ghagera, mali, and odiani. The deities were adorned with golden limbs and massive crowns, which were brought from the temple’s treasury by around 25 bhandara mekapa servitors (storekeepers).
The tradition of Suna Vesha dates back to 1460 AD, during the reign of Gajapati King Sri Kapilendradev of the Surya dynasty. After expanding his kingdom, the king returned to Odisha with immense wealth. Sixteen chariots loaded with gold ornaments were brought back as offerings to Lord Jagannath.