What Makes Puri's Suna Besha a Must-See Event for Devotees?

A Spectacle of Gold in Puri

Puri: On Sunday, the coastal town of Puri saw an influx of thousands of devotees eager to witness the divine siblings—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—adorned in gold jewelry weighing approximately 208 kilograms.

The massive crowd created significant traffic congestion in and around Puri as pilgrims flocked to see the holy trio gleaming in their golden attire.

Earlier that day, Odisha Police had issued warnings to attendees that the designated parking areas in the city had reached full capacity.

Pilgrims were advised to wait at Batgaon and Maltipatpur for several hours before proceeding.

According to the Odisha Police, there was an exceptionally high volume of vehicles traveling from Bhubaneswar to Puri, with a current wait time of about two hours at Batgaon. They urged devotees to plan their journeys accordingly.

The police also requested that everyone adhere to traffic guidelines and cooperate with the officers on duty.

During the special ceremony known as 'Suna Besha' or 'Rajarajeswar Besha', the deities will be adorned with gold hands, feet, garlands made of gold beads in various designs, a golden crown, a gold Chakra (discus), a silver conch, and gold farming tools.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) announced that devotees could view the deities from 6:30 PM to 11 PM on Sunday.

The tradition of the 'Suna Besha' ritual, where the holy siblings are seated on chariots, began during the reign of Gajapati King Kapilendra Deva, following a request from a notable servitor of the temple, 'Tadhau Karana', in 1460 CE.

After returning victorious from a conflict with Southern Indian rulers, the king donated cartloads of gold, diamonds, and other precious items to the temple.