Puri, Oct. 3 (UDN): The sacred 16-day Shodasha Puja at the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri will commence on Saturday with the traditional Sahasra Kumbhabhishek ritual at the shrine of Maa Bimala.
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The annual observance begins on Ashwina Krishna Ashtami, popularly known as Mulashtami, and continues until Ashwina Shukla Navami. The period is marked by a series of special rituals and worship at Maa Bimala and other Devi shrines within the temple complex.
Elaborate Rituals at Maa Bimala Shrine
The Sahasra Kumbhabhishek will formally mark the beginning of the Shodasha Puja rituals. As part of the arrangements, the Rajaguru Purohit will invite a priest, a Parichha, a Chandi Path reader, a Sahasranama Path reader and a Mantrajapaka to participate in the worship at the Maa Bimala shrine.
Priests and Chandi Path readers will also be invited for special rituals at Maa Bhubaneswari, Maa Bata Mangala and Maa Uttarayani shrines located within the Srimandir premises.
According to established Srimandir traditions, women devotees will not be permitted to enter the Maa Bimala shrine during the 16-day Shodasha Puja period.
Traditional Gua Nimantran Ceremony
Another important part of the ritual preparations is Gua Nimantran, under which Srotriya Brahmins are formally invited to participate in the traditional proceedings.
The Rajaguru Purohit will visit the Gajapati Maharaja’s palace for the customary invitation. Betel nuts and coconuts touched by the Gajapati Maharaja will be handed over to the Rajaguru Purohit, who will subsequently use them to extend the formal invitation to the Brahmins as representatives of the Gajapati.
16-Day Worship at Srimandir
The Shodasha Puja remains an important annual observance at the Srimandir, with rituals continuing throughout the period from Mulashtami to Ashwina Shukla Navami.
With the commencement of the Sahasra Kumbhabhishek, preparations for the elaborate worship at Maa Bimala and associated shrines will now continue in accordance with the traditional temple rituals and practices.