Puri: Snana Purnima, the bathing festival of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Sudarshan and Goddess Subhadra was celebrated in Puri on Tuesday. Lakhs of devotees throng Puri to witness the festival of the deities. The Daitapati servitors took the deities on ‘dhadi pahandi’ to the Snana Mandap. First Lord Sudarshan was brought to the Snana Mandap followed by Lord Balabhadra, Jagannath and Devi Subhadra. The deities took bath with 108 pitchers of water (Lord Jagannath with 35 pitchers, Lord Balabhadra with 33 pitchers, Devi Subhadra with 22 pitchers and Lord Sudarshan with 18 pitchers). Shankaracharya of Govardhan peeth Swami Nischalanada Saraswati had darshan of the deities on Snana Mandap. He was accompanied by some of his disciples. Elaborate security arrangements were made and 205 sections of forces were deployed for smooth conduct of the festival. Besides, multi-location parking facilities were made in the city to ease congestion.
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