Sacred Adharapana Niti Marks Key Ritual in Rath Yatra 2026
Puri, July 26, 2026: The sacred Adharapana Niti ritual was performed today at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, marking a significant moment in the ongoing Rath Yatra 2026.
Conducted a day after the grand Suna Besha, the ritual symbolises offering a special drink to divine attendants and unseen spiritual beings believed to accompany Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra during the chariot festival.
Nine tall earthen pots filled with the aromatic drink—prepared from milk, cream, chhena, ripe bananas, sugar, black pepper, nutmeg, camphor, and sacred water from Chhauni Math—were placed on the chariots Nandighosa, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana.
The pots were positioned to touch the lips of the deities before being ceremonially broken, signifying liberation and blessings for celestial beings and departed souls.
Unlike other offerings, Adharapana is not distributed to devotees, underscoring its exclusive spiritual significance.
The ritual paves the way for Niladri Bije, scheduled for July 27, 2026, when the deities will return to the Ratna Singhasana inside the temple, formally concluding Rath Yatra 2026.
