There was joy in air inside the premises of the Shreemandir on Tuesday not just because of the homecoming of the Lords, but due to the first offering of rice to the deities after their return from the Rath Yatra. The Bhog is called Nilachal Abadha and hundreds of pilgrims entering the temple received it with great fanfare.
After getting first glimpse of the divine siblings, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhdra and Devi Suvadra, they purchased the Nilachal Abhada from the Ananda Bazar (temple dining hall) and took it along with the near and dear ones.
To see the trinity back at the Ratnasinghasan (bejeweled throne) after a gap of 15 days, a heavy rush was witnessed in and outside the shrine throughout the day.
Besides pilgrims from outside the State, a large number of local residents also entered the shrine early morning to welcome the Lords atop the Ratnasinghasan.
They participated in the Mangal Arati (morning prayer) at 6.15 am and took the Nilachal Abhada to their house, which was a first choice among most residents in the city.
A huge chunk of pilgrims still staying in the city for having a darshan of the Lords in the temple received the most awaited offering as well.
To cater to the demand of pilgrims and locals, Suar Mahasuar (temple cooks) prepared hundreds of pots of rice with required dal and curry dishes in a four phase offerings, such as Sakala and Madhyana Dhupa (morning diets and lunch), and the first and second Bhogamandap (two additional offerings) starting from 11.35 am to 3.45 pm.
From 4.30 pm onwards, all the rites and rituals of the Lords were postponed for the lunar eclipse.