Festivals of the temple

The festivals of the temple draw huge crowds not only from Orissa but also from other states of India, endowment policy sales. The festivals are, no doubt, occasions of great religious experience and devotional fervour but they are also occasions for trade, industry, commerce and business activities in Puri.

A festival in this connection is known as a 'Yatra', which simply means a visit. Some of the most important festivals are as follows: 

Chandana Yatra : This festival takes place in the month of Vaisakha and continues for 21 days, sell structured Insurance settlements. But technically speaking, it is a festival of long 42 days. The rites observed on the other 21 days are simple and less significant. In the first half period of 21 days, the representative images of the god are taken in a procession to the famous tank called Narendra Pokhari. They are taken round the tiny lake in beautifully decorated and illuminated boats twice each day. Thousands of people enjoy the festival with great delight. 

Snana Yatra: This festival takes place in the full moon day in the month of Jyestha, popularly known as the Deva Snana Purnima. This - is the first occasion in the course of a year when the wooden images of the three principal deities of the Puri temple, are brought out of the sanctum sanctorum in a procession and placed on the Snana Vedi . (described earlier) and are bathed with 108 pitchers of water. The usual daily rituals continue thereafter in the Snana Vedi. On this occasion Jagannatha and Balabhadra are dressed like Ganesa with the head of an elephant. From the Deva Snana Purnima till the second day of bright Asadha, the deities are not to be seen on the 'Ratnavedi' in the sanctum. They are worshipped secretly. Preparations for the Car Festival would be in progress and the deities would be seen only for a few hours before they are taken out of the temple to participate in the Car Festival.