The Vamana Janma ritual will be observed at the Srimandir in Puri today on the occasion of Bhadrav Shukla Dwadashi. As part of the ritual, public darshan at the temple will remain suspended from 5 pm to 11 pm.
The day is observed as Vamana Dwadashi, marking the appearance of Lord Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. According to religious belief, Lord Jagannath appears in the Vamana form on this occasion. Devotees believe that having darshan of the Lord in the Vamana Besha brings spiritual merit and frees one from the cycle of rebirth.
The Vamana Janma ritual is performed at Srimandir following prescribed traditions, similar to the observance of the birth rituals of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna.
According to the temple rituals, following the morning Dhupa Puja, the deities undergo Mahasnan and Sarbanga rituals. The Yajna Pavita prepared during the Adhibasa ceremony on the previous day is then offered to the deities.
After the deities are adorned with camphor and the ceremonial dressing is completed, the Madhyanna Dhupa is performed. The Jaya-Vijaya doors are subsequently closed, following which the Sudha Suar servitors prepare a sacred mandala using five types of coloured powder near the Chandan Argali.
The deities are then offered Bandapana and Varuna Puja on the three respective Badas. Subsequently, Mudirasta and Pati Mahapatra perform the Brahmana Acharya Barana ceremony. After the completion of the Dakshini Ghar Bhoga, the Krishna Mahajan servitor carries the deity to the Ratna Singhasana, where Dhanti Mahaprasad, a special type of offering, is offered.
A golden idol of Lord Vamana, provided by the Deula Bania servitor, is then placed on the Sarvatobhadra Mandala. Lord Krishna is subsequently brought to the sacred mandala as part of the ritual.
Meanwhile, the traditional Sunia festival will also be observed at Srimandir’s Srinaara. The day holds special religious significance in the annual ritual calendar of the Shree Jagannath Temple.