Cuttack: Like the Nagarjuna Besha held at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri Friday after 25 years, Lord Shiva at Dhabaleswar Temple will also adorn the rare Kiratarjuna Besha after 25 years, Saturday.
The lord’s ritual is being observed on the occasion of Bada Osha, the biggest festival of Lord Shiva at this shrine.
Had the year not been marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of devotees would have already gathered at the shrine to catch a glimpse of Lord Shiva being in the rare Besha. To avoid congregation at the temple and stop the spread of COVID-19, the administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section-144 around the shrine.
According to a senior priest, the Lord’s Kiratarjuna attire is being observed this year as this year the Panchuka (the last five days of holy Kartik month) is being observed for six days instead of five.
On this occasion, the temple was opened at 3.30 am and then the servitors gave the lord a bath with 108 pitchers of aromatic water. Later, a specific group of servitors will perform the ritual. At midnight, the Gaja Bhoga, synonymous with this shrine, will be offered to the lord, it was learnt.
Notably, the Nagarjuna Besha (warrior attire) of Trinity at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri was observed Friday sans devotees.
PNN
