Shri Jagannath is regarded as the Supreme Being and the Sovereign Monarch of the Odishan Empire. The entire ritual pattern of Shri Jagannath has been conceived keeping such twin aspects in view. The ritual system of the temple is very elaborate and complex involving a multitude of functionaries above one thousand spread over one hundred categories. The rituals of Lord can broadly be divided into three parts – the daily , the occasional and the festive. In our temple these rituals assume the term ‘NITI’ Daily Rituals / NITI in Jagannath Mandir:

1. Mangal Aarati ( opening of the Door and first ritual aarati ) at 5 a.m.
2. Mailam  at 6 a.m. – Removal of dresses and flowers etc of previous night worn by the Deities.
3. Abakash at  6 a.m. to 6.30 a.m.- Purificatory rites like brushing of teeth and ritual bath
4. Mailam at 6.45 a.m.: Wearing of another clothes with Bal Dhoop
5. Beshalagi at 8 a.m – Wearing different ornaments with gold and precious stones to suit different festive occasions.
6. Gopala Ballabha Puja at  9 a.m. Morning breakfast / Prasad offered to Lord
7. Sakala Dhupaat  10 a.m-Morning food offering 16 Upachars or Sodasha Upachars.
8. Madhyanha from 12:30 p.m. to p.m.  -Afternoon Prasad offering
9. Madhyanha Pahudha from 2 p.m. to 4.00 p.m -Deities retire or resting for the afternoon.
10. Sandhya Aarati at 6:30 p.m : Evening Aaratis after Madhyana Dhupa Mailam.
11. Sandhya Dhupa – 7 p.m. to 8 p.m, After “Sandhya Aarati” again Prasad are offered to the deities . After Puja again lamp offering is made which is called as “Jaya Mangala Aarati”.
12. Mailam and Chandana lagi: After “Sandhya Dhoopa” deities change their clothes and are annointed with Sandal paste mixed with champhor, keshar and Kasturi.
13. Badashringar Vesha : After Chandan lagi, deities are dressed with Baralagi Patta (silken robes on which some portions of Geeta Govinda of Jayadev are woven in to the texture of these robes) and flower ornaments.
14. Badashringara Bhoga: This is the last bhoga of the day. Puja is offered with Pancha Upachar with Pakhal (watered rice), Kadali bada, Kshiri, Kanji etc.
15. Khata Seja Lagi and Pahuda at 12.00 noon : The bedsteads of the Deities are arranged for Their sleeping.

This is in brief the daily rituals observed in the Temple. It is generally not possible to follow the time prescribed for each ritual on account of various practical difficulties. On the specific festive days, additional rituals are performed. As a result, changes in timings and alterations in the routine rituals are made. Jai Jagannath!  

Every year on the  full moon day , last day of the month of Jyestha, (Jyestha Purnima) Lord Jagannath along with Brother Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Sudarshan Maharaj come out of the temple to take bath and  give darshan to all of his devotees. This is also known as Snana Purnima – Holy bathing festival.The Snanabedi is decorated with traditional paintings. Toranas Archs are put up and is decorated with different types of flowers. All the daily activities is performed on Ratna Simshashana is done on the Snana Bedi  which include Mangala Alati, Madhyamha Dhoopa, mailam , Bhogalagi etc before his devotees . The Deities bath with 108 pitchers of sacred water brought from Suna kua(golden well) near Sitala temple of Shri Jagannath temple. This well is also known as Patala Ganga. 35 pitchers are for Lord Jagannath, 33 Pitchers are for Lord Balabhadra , 22 for Goddess Subhadra and 18 for Sudarshan Maharaj. The water is mixed with Chandan,Karpura, Kesar ,Chuara in a 10:6 proportion. Yajna is performed to purify this water and kept in Bhog mandap the day before the Snana Purnima.

According to Skandha Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden Deities he arranged this bathing ceremony. This day considered to be the birthday of Lord Jagannath.

It is the Preliminary function of Annual Rath Yatra (Car festival). The bathing festival takes place during the morning hours of the Purnima Tithi. The filled vessels are carried from Bhoga Mandap to the Snana Bedi by the Suaras/Daitapatis in a long single-line procession. This ritual is called ‘Jaladhibasa‘ (Jala – water, abhishek – bath).

The bathing festival starts in the morning. On each vessel of water there is a coconut and a cloth called Karia.These are brought from Bhog mandap to Snana Bedi by Garabdu Sevaka by covering their mouth with clothes. After the pujas are performed by Pati Mahapatras, these sebakas start pouring water on the Deities . During this ritual , hymns are chanted.

After the bath Deities are dressed up like Ganesha.This is called Gajanana Besha.It is said those who takes darshan of this Besha their soul get purified and all the sins are washed off.

Following snana Purnima the Deities fall ill and are placed in isolation to observe Anabasara. Anabasar is observed for 15 days. During this period the Deities undergo treatment for recovery. All restoration  work including repainting of the Deities is made taken. After repaint and decoration the Lord appears before the devotees which is called Nabajauban (Renewed Youth Incarnation) one day before this Netrostav is observed soon after the Deities are recovered from illness. Then follow the great car festival or Rath Yatra.

Schedule for Deva Snana Purnima

• 5 am Mangalarpana & preparation for ‘Pahandi’ – The deities would be escorted in ceremonial Pahandi procession by Daita servitors to the Snana Mandap.
• 30 am to 11.30 am Jalabhisek Puja – The deities would be bathed with scented water brought in 108 pitchers. The water drawn from a special well called “Sunakua” inside the temple complex by the Garabadu servitors would be used.
• 15 pm Chhera Pahanra – Following the ritual, Gajapati king would sweep the floors of the Snan Mandap with a golden broom.
• 30 pm and 3 pm Gaja Besha preparation – The deities would dressed in special attires looking like Lord Ganesha popularly called Haati Vesha.
• 30 pm to 9.30 pm ‘Hati Vesha’ (Gajanana Besh) Darshan – The Vesha would start from afternoon and continue till night. The devotees would be allowed to go to the bathing altar to offer prayers.
• Later, the deities would be shifted to AnasaraGhar (sick chamber) as they had fallen “sick” after taking bath.