Adhara Pana and Suna Vesha of Lord Jagannath

Adhara Pana and Suna Vesha (Suna Besha) are the two important rituals which takes place on Ashadi Ekadasi, the day on which the deities return to the temple after their return journey from the Gundicha Temple to the Puri Jagannath Temple (Srimandira) – the Bahuda Yatra.

Suna Vesha (Suna Besha) :

‘Suna Besha’ also known as Raja Besha or Rajadhiraja Besha is an important ritual wherein the three deities are adorned with gold ornaments and jewellery after the ‘Bahuda Yatra’ or the return journey. Hence this day is also known as Bahuda Ekadashi.

Gold Jewellery is decorated over the hands and feet of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra Devi. Thats not all, Lord Jagannath is also adorned with a Chakra (disc) made of gold on the right hand while a silver conch adorns the left hand. Similarly Lord Balabhadra is decorated with a plough made of gold on the left hand while a golden mace adorns his right hand.

The estimated value of these ornaments is said to run into several million crores.

The following ornaments are used to decorate the Deities in Sunabesha:

• Suna Hasta – Golden Hand
• Suna Payar – Golden feet
• Suna Mukuta – Golden Crown
• Suna Mayur Chandrika – A golden peacock feather used by Lord Jagannath as Sri Krishna head piece
• Suna Chulapati – A golden ornament worn traditionally on the forehead to increase the beauty of the face
• Suna Kundal – Golden earring of hanging round ball type
• Suna Rahurekha – A half square shaped golden aura around the face of the deities
• Suna Mala – Necklaces with Several Design made of gold. These include:
  • Padma Mala – Lotus Shaped
  • Sevati Mala – Shaped Like Small Sun Flower
  • Agasti Mala – Moon Shaped flower design
  • Kadamba – MALA -Kadamba Flower Design (Round ball shape)
  • Kante Mala -Big Gold Beads Design
  • Mayur Mala -Shaped in Peacock feathers
  • Champa Mala -Shaped liked Yellow champa Flower
• Suna Chakra – Golden Wheel
• Suna Gada – Golden bludgeon
• Suna Padma – Golden lotus
• Rupa Sankha – A silver conch

Devotees can witnessed the Suna Besha from evening 5 pm till 11 pm.

Adhara Pana :

After dressing the idols with the golden jewelry, the deities are offered a refreshing drink named as ‘Adhara Pana’.

In Oriya language, ‘Adhara’ means ‘Lip’ and ‘Pana’ is a sweet scented drink. This Adharapana drink is made of milk, cream, cottage cheese, plantain pulp, grated coconut, brown sugar, camphor, nutmeg and black pepper.

The three deities are offered Adhara Pana in huge cylindrical earthen / terracotta pots reaching up to their lips and the quantity offered to each is nearly 100 liters. Raghava Das Matha offers the adhara pana to the Deities during this occasion.

The juice is offered as a token to the lips of the deities to to break their ekadasi fast.

Later on this juice is offered to devotees as prasadam.