Posted June 18, 2003

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On June 15, we had a happy Snana Yatra celebration as Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi took Their bath.

It was not the usual type of abhisek, when a few brahmanas perform the bathing and everyone else watches. On this day, everyone was allowed to bathe the Lord, not only the temple devotees, but others as well— local village people, life members, guards, servants, and even outside visitors who had been lucky enough to come on that day.

At around nine o'clock, after the morning program, devotees started walking to Rajapur Jagannatha Mandir carrying Ganga water in clay pots.

At Jagannatha Temple, pujaris dressed Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi for bathing, and when the devotees arrived, the pujaris carried the Deities out from the altar into the garden, where an arrangement for bathing had been made.

A huge crowd of local people were already waiting, lining up in a long double line curling around the gardens (men and women in separate lines). Then the ceremony began, and everyone started to come forward, in an organized way, with their pots of Ganga water to bathe Their Lordships.

Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi were on a big platform, specially made for this abhisheka with an arrangement for the charinamrita to flow through a pipe into a large container. People would go up the steps on Baladeva's side and proceed forward, bathing first Baladeva, then Subhadra, and then Jagannatha. Then they would go down the steps past the charinamrita and fill their pots with some on the way out. The ecstatic kirtan could be heard for some distance around.

After few hours of bathing, Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi were carried back to the altar, dressed, and fed. Then the altar was opened, and everyone had Their darshan. All this time, devotees were having a wonderful kirtan. After darshan and arotika, there was big feast for everyone.

Now we won't see Jagannatha for two weeks. As always happens, He fell sick during the course of the day— cough and cold. So the doctor has prescribed medicine made of cream, curd, and rock candy with some cardamom, and of course, bed rest. We won't see Him until He feels better and goes for a ride on Ratha Yatra Day.

Hare Krishna!

Your servant,
Vrindavan Lila dd

© dipika.org June 18, 2003