Puri: Srimandir has been illuminated with thousands of diyas for the three-day Dev Dipavali festival. The observance began Wednesday night, during which Lord Jagannath pays homage to his ancestors — a ritual also known as ‘Shradha’.
For the sacred occasion, the Lord is adorned in simple attire suitable for the ceremonies. Dev Dipavali is a deeply revered festival for devotees. During these three days, lakhs of pilgrims visit the holy city to witness the lighting of diyas atop the temple’s ‘Amolaka’ and enjoy the grand display of fireworks.
On the first evening, Lord Jagannath offered ‘Pinda’ (obsequies) to the mythological King Indradyumna, who established the Lords in the present temple. King Indradyumna had once sought a boon that his dynasty end with him so that no successor could claim rights over the temple or the deities—a boon granted by Lord Jagannath. As an incarnation of Sri Ram, Lord Jagannath also offers Pinda to King Dasaratha.
On the second day, as Krishna, he offers Pinda to his biological parents, Vasudeva and Devaki. On the third day, the offering is made to his foster parents, Nanda and Yashoda. Throughout these days, a series of intricate rituals is observed. The temple, from its pinnacle to its base, glows with innumerable diyas.
Specially trained servitors climb the main temple tower to light lamps at the top, creating a spectacular sight for devotees. Fireworks launched from the temple further illuminate the night sky, drawing awe and devotion from the crowd. The temple administration has made extensive arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of all nitis and rituals. Lakhs of devotees relish Mahaprasad during the festival. On the opening day, large numbers of pilgrims arrived in Puri, and several institutions organised bhajan recitals along the Grand Road, popularly known as Badadanda.
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