Puri: Thousands of devotees gathered at the historic Alarnath Temple in Brahmagiri on Tuesday as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra remain in seclusion at the Anasara Ghara inside the Shree Jagannath Temple following the Snana Purnima rituals.
According to long-standing tradition, the Holy Trinity enters a 15-day period of Anasara after the ceremonial bathing festival, during which the deities are believed to fall ill and remain away from public view. During this period, devotees are unable to have darshan at the Jagannath Temple in Puri and instead travel to the Alarnath Temple, where they believe Lord Jagannath manifests as Lord Alarnath to bless his devotees.
Long Queues of Devotees
From the early hours of Tuesday, devotees formed long queues outside the temple, located about 23 kilometres from Puri, to offer prayers and seek the blessings of Lord Alarnath.
The temple witnessed a steady influx of pilgrims from different parts of Odisha and neighbouring states, with authorities making special arrangements to ensure smooth crowd management and hassle-free darshan during the sacred Anasara period.
Temple servitors conducted the Mangala Alati of the deity at around 4 a.m., following which the shrine was opened for public darshan.
“We performed the Mangala Alati of Mahaprabhu at 4 am. Now, public darshan is underway. All the arrangements have been made for the smooth darshan of the Lord,” a temple servitor said.
Sacred Belief During Anasara
According to Jagannath tradition, visiting the Alarnath Temple during the Anasara period is considered highly auspicious. Devotees believe that offering prayers to Lord Alarnath during these fifteen days carries the same spiritual merit as having darshan of Lord Jagannath at the Puri Srimandir.
Many devotees patiently waited for hours despite the heavy rush, considering the pilgrimage an important part of their spiritual journey before the annual Rath Yatra.
“It is believed that having the darshan of the Lord here during these 15 days is very sacred. There is a long queue, but it doesn’t matter when you have come for the darshan of the Mahaprabhu,” a devotee said.
Historic Temple with Rich Heritage
The Alarnath Temple, located in Brahmagiri, is one of Odisha’s prominent Vaishnavite shrines and holds immense religious significance in the Jagannath tradition.
Built in the classic Kalinga architectural style, the centuries-old temple houses a magnificent black stone idol of Lord Vishnu, worshipped as Lord Alarnath. The four-armed deity holds the Shankha (conch), Chakra (discus), Gada (mace), and Padma (lotus), while Garuda, the divine vehicle of Lord Vishnu, is depicted seated at the foot of the idol.
The temple attracts thousands of devotees every year during Anasara, when it becomes the focal point of worship for followers of Lord Jagannath.
Spiritual Prelude to Rath Yatra
The Anasara period marks an important phase in the annual rituals associated with the Jagannath tradition. After the grand Snana Purnima ceremony, the deities remain in seclusion for 15 days, during which they are believed to undergo treatment with traditional herbal medicines before reappearing for Nabajouban Darshan and the world-famous Rath Yatra.
As devotees continue to visit the Alarnath Temple in large numbers, the shrine has once again become a centre of faith and devotion, symbolising the uninterrupted spiritual bond between Lord Jagannath and his followers during the period of divine seclusion.
