In the spiritually vibrant town of Puri, Odisha, devotion finds expression not just in rituals but in traditions that blend divinity with healing. As the Rath Yatra – the world-renowned chariot festival approaches, an intriguing and lesser-known ritual unfolds before the grand celebrations begin. It is a sacred fortnight where the deities disappear from public view, believed to be in recovery from illness, and cared for with ancient Ayurvedic remedies.
The mysterious illness of the deities
Each year, on the full moon day of Jyeshtha Purnima, Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, undergoes a grand ceremonial bath called Snana Purnima. This sacred bath involves 108 pitchers of cooling and aromatic waters, and though it is meant to refresh the deities, it is also believed to cause them a fever due to the intense exposure. Following this, the deities are said to fall ill and are kept away from public view for about 15 days in a phase called Anavasara or Anasara, meaning "Withdrawal from the public view."
Sacred seclusion: Healing with ancient herbal wisdom
During the Anavasara period, the deities reside in a private chamber within the temple, under the care of the temple's Raja Vaidya (royal physician). No elaborate meals or temple rituals take place. Instead, the deities are fed simple offerings such as fruits, water mixed with cheese (chhena), and a potent herbal decoction known as Dasa Mula Kadha.
This medicinal kadha - a bitter tonic-is made from a powerful mix of traditional herbs like tulsi (holy basil), black pepper, cardamom, rose petals, sandalwood, and water from the sacred Ganges. The concoction is believed to have fever-reducing, immune-boosting, and disease-preventing properties. While the deities are nourished with it, devotees are also offered this kadha as prasad, in the belief that it brings healing and divine protection.
Faith, folklore, and miraculous testimonies
The faith in the healing kadha goes far beyond symbolic offerings. Over the years, many devotees have shared miraculous stories linked to this sacred medicine. One widely recounted local tale speaks of an ill student who regained health after consuming the prasad when modern medicine had failed. Such stories of Kadha’s makes for it's reputation, making it a spiritual as well as therapeutic offering that draws thousands each year to receive a few sips of hope.
The return of the deities: Symbol of renewal
The healing phase ends on the day of Ashadha Amavasya, when the deities are brought back for public darshan in a ceremony known as Navajauban Darshan, which means “renewed youth.” It signifies the divine return in a rejuvenated form, ready for the upcoming Rath Yatra.
