The administration, expecting a huge crowd,
had made special arrangements for regulation
of traffic. The police had a tough time
to regulate the vehicular traffic as everybody
was moving towards the Lions Gate to witness
the Besha. Devotees started flocking in
to the city since morning in a big way and
their number swelled by every passing hour.
Earlier in the day, the servitors performed
Pushpanjali, Arati, Bastralagi and dressed
the deities in flowers before the Suna Besha
began in the evening. Bhandar Mekap (traditional
temple treasurer) accompanied by temple
officials carried huge quantity of gold
ornaments from the temple treasury amidst
tight security.
Traditional dressers Simharee and the Puspalak
servitors within an hour completed the Besha
by fashioning giant feet, arms, tiaras,
ears, ear rings (Kundalas) to the deities
while gold and diamond studded necklaces
called Harida, Bahada, Kadamba and Baghanakhi
Malis studded with jewels were put on them.
The armaments of Lord Jagannath - Chakra
and Conch and plough and mace of the Lord
Balabhadra were fixed. About five quintals
of pure gold ornaments and jewellery was
used in the dressing.
To facilitate a large number of devotees
to witness the Suna Besha, the administration
had advanced the rituals and the Besha was
opened for public viewing at 5-30 pm.
A multi layer security cover was thrown
around the chariots besides a heavy barricade
to secure the huge treasure and for the
smooth conduct of the fete.
A number of high resolution TV cameras
were installed at different places to scan
the pilgrim crowd while armed policemen
manned the rooftops of the buildings along
the Grand Road.
The temple chief administrator S.C. Mahapatra,
District Magistrate Rashmiranjan Pattnaik
and Superintendent of Police Asit Kumar
Panigrahi were present at the festival site.
Suna Besha was to continue till late in
the night. After undressing of the deities,
the ornaments these would be deposited in
the temple treasury. The Lords would return
to the Ratna Simhasan in the sanctum sanctorum
on Saturday night after offering of Rasagola
Bhog on the chariots.
On Friday, the deities would offer Adhar
Pana, a sacred drink, to the ghostly bodies
to attain Mokshya before entering into the
sanctum sanctorum in a ceremony called Niladri
Bije.
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