Snana Yatra - The Bathing Festival of the Lord Jagannatha | ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill | 22 June 2024

Snana Yatra is a bathing festival celebrating Lord Jagannath's divine appearance on earth. It is celebrated on the Purnima tithi of Jyestha masa (May-June) around 16 days before the grand Ratha Yatra festival. It is observed mainly in Odisha at Puri and Bhubaneshwar. According to the Skanda Purana, this tradition was established by King Indradyumna during the installation of the Deities. This day is also considered the appearance day of Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra. Hathi Vesha alankara of Their Lordships Once, a learned disciple of Lord Ganesha journeyed to Puri for the Snana Yatra and was granted an audience with the local king. Invited to witness Lord Jagannatha, the scholar respectfully declined, as he only worshipped his beloved iṣṭa-devatā, Lord Ganesha. The king urged him to reconsider and bear witness to Lord Jagannatha's divine presence. To everyone's surprise, Lord Jagannatha appeared adorned in an elephantine form reminiscent of Lord Ganesha, indicating that He is the source of all the devatas. This alankara has been a tradition since then, following the Snana Yatra. After this, Lord Jagannatha performs the pastime of being sick and cannot be seen by the public for fifteen days. This is when the Deity of Lord Jagannatha is renovated before the Ratha Yatra festival. Following this great tradition, the devotees at ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill, Vasanthapura, have arranged for a similar Snana Yatra festival for the pleasure of Their Lordships and the devotees. Participate in the celebrations and become recipients of the Lord's mercy.