One of the most celebrated Hindu festivals, it is a grand bathing celebration held at Puri's Jagannath Temple. Deva Snana Purnima is another name for this snana, where 108 pots of holy water from the temple's golden well are used for the ceremonial bathing of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra during this ceremony.
It’s an ancient ceremony, mentioned in the Skanda Purana, and believed that King Indradyumna, the founder of the Jagannath Temple, started the holy bath ceremony or the Anavasara. The bathing ritual symbolizes the purificatory rites performed on deities to cleanse them of human contact, as they are otherwise kept hidden inside the sanctum (Garbha Griha).
Legends say that all the deities suffer from a high fever after being bathed with 108 pots of cold water during Snana Purnima Yatra, leading to 15 days of rest for all the deities at Gundicha Temple. This unique story reflects Jagannath's closeness to his devotees and his willingness to undergo suffering for their spiritual upliftment.
Snana Purnima is celebrated annually on the full moon day of the Jyeshtha month of the Hindu calendar, which usually falls in May or June. In 2025, it will be celebrated on June 11th.
Symbolical representation of purification, transformation, & renewal; beyond physical cleansing, it’s a metaphysical rebirth of the deities, and witnessing them during the ceremony, washes away sins, grants spiritual merit to the devotees, & bridges the gap b/w human devotion & divine presence, holding up the concept of “Darshan”.
After the grand bathing ceremony, Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra are dressed in the rare Hati Besha (Elephant attire), symbolizing Lord Ganesha. The Hati Besha marks wisdom, strength, & auspicious beginnings. The transformation illustrates how the gods assume various forms to bless their followers.
The main ritual begins with fetching 108 pots of water from the Suna Kua (Golden Well) by temple priests. These pots are sanctified with mantras, turmeric, sandalwood, and flowers before bathing the deities; the water, post-ritual, is considered holy and distributed to devotees. Music, chants, and conch shells create a divine atmosphere following strict traditional protocols of the Jagannath Temple.
Anavasara is held after Snana Purnima as the deities say bye to their devotees for 15 days. No darshan is permitted during this period. The temple is symbolically closed, and devotees flock to the Alarnath Temple in Brahmagiri for darshan. This time also prepares for Nabajouban Darshan (renewed youth appearance) and the awaited Rath Yatra, heightening spiritual anticipation among devotees.
Over 5 lakh devotees from across India and abroad gather in Puri to witness Snana Purnima every year. The event is live-streamed and broadcast on national TV, reaching millions more. The Snana Mandap becomes a sea of humanity, filled with chants, tears, and divine ecstasy. The massive turnout reflects Jagannath’s universal appeal and Odisha’s spiritual magnetism.