Puri temple admin forms panel for ‘Adhar Pana’ ritual

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the governing body of the Lord Jagannath temple, today formed a committee for smooth conduct of “Adhar Pana” ritual to be held tomorrow evening, an official said.

The ‘Adhar Pana’, a rich drink offered to the deities by the priests on their respective Raths for ‘Moksha” of ghostly bodies.

The committee consists members of the Suara Mahasuara Nijog and Daitapati Nijog, informed SJTA Chief Pradipta Kumar Mahapatra.

As per the ritual, nine large open-mouth earthen pitchers full of drinks placed touching the lips of the three deities. The priests, through “Sodosha Upachar Puja’, offer the drink. Soon after, the pitchers smashed on the Raths for spilling the entire drink on the floors of the chariots.

It is believed that numerous spirits, ghostly bodies and souls, who come trailing the lords during the Rath Yatra, drink the holy Pana and get Moksha (salvation).