Snana Yatra 2026: Jagannath Temple Darshan to Remain Suspended Ahead of Sacred Bathing Ritual

Puri, June 27: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has announced a temporary suspension of public darshan at the Jagannath Temple in Puri to facilitate preparations for the annual Snana Yatra, one of the most significant rituals in the Jagannath tradition.

According to an official notification issued by the temple administration, public darshan will remain suspended from 10:30 PM on Saturday, June 27, and is expected to resume at around 1:00 PM on Sunday, June 28.

The temporary closure is necessary to carry out the elaborate rituals and preparations ahead of the ceremonial bathing festival of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.

Snana Yatra on June 29

This year’s Snana Yatra will be observed on Monday, June 29, coinciding with Jyestha Shukla Purnima.

During the festival, the three sibling deities are brought to the Snana Mandap, where they are ceremonially bathed with 108 pots of sacred water drawn from the temple’s holy well. The ritual attracts thousands of devotees from across Odisha and other parts of the country.

Devotees Asked to Plan Their Visit

The SJTA has appealed to devotees planning a visit to the 12th-century shrine to take note of the temporary suspension of darshan and schedule their pilgrimage accordingly to avoid inconvenience.

Temple officials are expecting a large turnout during the Snana Yatra festivities and have made the announcement well in advance to facilitate crowd management.

Festival Marks Beginning of Rath Yatra Rituals

Snana Yatra marks the beginning of the annual sequence of rituals leading to the world-famous Rath Yatra.

Following the ceremonial bath, the deities are believed to fall ill and remain away from public view during the Anasara period before reappearing for Nabajouban Darshan, a day before the grand chariot festival begins.