Lord Jagannath's Bahuda Yatra in Puri

The sacred Bahuda Yatra, the return journey of Lord Jagannath, will be celebrated with great devotion in Puri on Friday. After staying at the Gundicha Temple, Lord Jagannath, accompanied by his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, will return to the Jagannath Temple. The holy town of Puri is expected to resonate with chants of "Haribol" and "Jai Jagannath" as thousands of devotees gather to witness the grand procession. As per tradition, the Nandighosha chariot halts at the Mausima Temple during the return journey.

At the Mausima Temple, the traditional delicacy 'Poda Pitha' is ceremonially offered to Lord Jagannath by the temple servitors. Another significant ritual during the Bahuda Yatra is the Lakshmi-Narayana Bheta near the royal palace. According to tradition, Goddess Lakshmi, upset over not being taken along during the Rath Yatra, is informed of the Lord's return. The Gajapati Maharaja offers special prayers to Lord Jagannath, after which Goddess Lakshmi symbolically beholds the Lord through a mirror before returning to the temple, marking one of the most cherished rituals of the festival.