The holy Trinity on Saturday night was offered Adhar Pana, a rich drink, on the Raths for salvation of ghostly bodies, sinned souls and other spirits.
The temple servitors placed nine large open mouth barrel shaped pitchers of one meter height each, which were full of holy drinks, before the three deities on their respective chariots. The pitchers were placed touching the lips (Adhar) of the deities, popularly called as Adhar Pana. These drinks were provided by many mutts entrusted by the then kings.
After observance of Sodosha Upachar Pooja by the temple priests, a special set of servitors smashed the earthen pitchers on the chariots spilling the entire drink on the floor of the decks. It is believed that numerous spirits, ghostly bodies and souls trail the deities during the Rath Yatra.
They wait for the Adhara Pana to consume it and get Mokshya (salvation).
A large number of devotees too jostled with pots in hands to get the holy soup under the belly of the chariots.
The deities would remain on the Raths on Saturday night and enter into the
main temple’s sanctum sanctorum on the Sunday night in ceremonial Pahandi procession. Before entering into
the temple, the deities would be offered Rosgulla Bhog on the Raths.