Odisha: Snana rituals schedule of Trinity finalised   

PURI:  The rituals of Snana Yatra (bathing ceremony) on June 14 and other programmes related to Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and His siblings were approved in the temple body meeting held on Tuesday. The meeting was presided over by Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb. 

As per the schedule, Daita servitors will escort the Trinity to the Snana Bedi in Pahandi at about 4 am. The ceremonial bathing of the deities with 108 pitchers of aromatic water will begin at about 9.30 am and completed by 11.30 am.  Thereafter the deities will be offered bhog. 

Chherapahanra by the Gajapati will commence at 12.15 pm following which the deities will adorn the Hati Besha (elephant attire). Soon after, devotees will be allowed darshan from Badadanda, 2.30 pm onwards. However, in the morning, devotees will be allowed to witness the Trinity from close quarters through Paramanik (ticketed) darshan at the bathing altar, the meeting decided.  

Late in the night, the deities will be escorted to the Anasara Ghara after falling sick. They will stay for a fortnight till they recover from the sickness and appear for public darshan a day before Rath Yatra popularly called Netra Utsav.

It was decided in the meeting to install CCTV and video cameras  to monitor the rituals and the authorities concerned were directed to do the needful. Seeking cooperation from all sections of servitors for smooth conduct of the festival, the meeting also discussed the proposed  housing project for the servitors, establishment of  Adarsh Gurukul educational  institution for children of servitors and other  arrangements of the fete. 

On the day, Central Range IGP Narasingh Bhol, Collector Samarth Verma and chief administrator of SJTA Vir Vikram Yadav visited Srimandir and finalised the deployment of police at strategic places in and around Srimandir. Apart from Snana Yatra, details of Rath Yatra, Bahuda, Sunabesha and Niladri Bije rituals were also discussed at the meeting.