A priest plays a cymbal in front of Lord Jagannath’s chariot in Puri during adhar pana rituals. Picture by Sarat Patra

Puri, July 9: Interacting with lakhs of devotees during yesterday’s suna besha has tired the divine siblings of Jagannath temple. They were thus given a treat of replenishing traditional drinks in a special ceremony today.

The tradition adhara pana was hosted on the three chariots for the deities, after which they took rest on their vehicles throughout the day.

It is believed that since the deities are tired with the journey during bahuda and then also got ready to give their devotes a special darshan of their suna besha, they become extremely tired.

“Hence we give them rest for one day on the chariots when special energy-booster health drinks are prepared and offered to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. It replenishes and energises them,” said servitor Rama Chandra Das Mohapatra.

“This drink, a kind of pana is made of a mixture of milk cream, cheese, sugar, banana, camphor, nuts, black pepper and so on,” he said.

Apart from these contents, various herbal plant extracts, including tulasi, are blended into the drink. This beverage was filled in nine pots and each of the deities was offered three pots each. The Odia Matha, Raghavdas Matha and temple members jointly contribute the pots and the drink for the occasion.

The earthen pots are long cylindrical shaped and each reaches the height of the deities’ lips. A set of three pots is placed simultaneously in front of each of the deities. After consecrating, the pots are smashed right there on the chariots, so that the drink flows all over the chariot.

“The smashing of the pots is intentionally done to ensure the other minor deities present on the chariot, known as parsvadevatas, and various invisible divine forces get a taste of the drinks after the deities consecrate them,” said Kirti Das Mohapatra, a young servitor of Lord Jagannath.

Neither servitors nor devotees ever get a share of the drink since it is meant only for the deities and the divine beings, he said.

There were thousands outside the temple, near the parked chariots of the deities, to witness the events today. However, the crowd was much less compared to the 12 lakh plus devotees that gathered to view the deities’ suna besha.

After taking rest today, the deities will be carried to the temple sanctum sanctorum tomorrow.