Puri: The worship of ‘Patti Dian’ started at Srimandir here Saturday as part of the Anasara ritual of the presiding deities.
The presiding deities are now undergoing medication at the Anasara Gruha (asylum for the sick) after they caught fever soon after the completion of Snana Purnima ritual Friday.
As per Srimandir tradition, Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra catch fever after the Snana Purnima ritual. The deities undergo 15-day medication as part of the Anasara ritual to recover from fever.
As per the temple tradition, servitors of the 12th century shrine and devotees worship Patti Dian (representative deities) during the Anasara ritual.
“Lord Sriananta Narayan is worshipped as Patti Dian in place of Lord Jagannath while Lord Ananta Basudev and Goddess Bhubaneswari are worshipped in the place of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. The Patti Dian would be worshipped till the end of the Anasara ritual,” said a researcher.
It is worth mentioning here that a group of skilled artisans craft the Patti Dian by applying colours on Tassar fabric. The artists follow the Patta Chitra art form to draw the paintings of the representative deities on fabric.
