Adhar Pana, a rich drink, filled in nine huge earthen pots was offered to lord Jagannath, lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on their Raths here on Tuesday.
Servitors placed three open mouth pitchers full of drinks on each of the three Raths. The pitchers were touching the lips of the deities. The priests performed Sodhasha Upachar pooja while offering the drink, Adhar Pana.
After the offering which lasted till late night, the pitchers were smashed for spilling of the entire drink on the floors of the decks. It is believed that numerous spirits, ghostly bodies and souls trail the lords during the Rath Yatra and wait till this ritual to get Moksha by drinking the holy drink. Some devotees also collected this spilled drink in pots.
The deities would remain on the Raths for two more nights and would enter the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday night in ceremonial Pahandi. Before entering the temple, the deities would be offered Rosgulla
Bhog. This is the single occasion in a year when the deities are offered Rosgulla Bhog.