It’s believed spirits get Moksha by tasting the drink
The holy Trinity was dedicated Adhar Pana, a rich drink, on the Raths for salvation of the ghostly bodies, sinned souls and other spirits on Wednesday night here.
The temple servitors placed nine large open-mouth barrel-shaped pitchers with one meter height full of holy drinks before the three deities on their respective chariots before the Singhadwar. The pitchers were placed touching the lips (adhar) of the deities, popularly called as Adhar Pana. The drink was provided by many mutts entrusted by the then kings.
After observance of the Sodosh Upachar Puja by the priests simultaneously on the three chariots late into the night, a special set of servitors smashed the earthen pitchers, containing the brew on the chariots which spilled over on the floor of the decks. It is believed that numerous spirits, ghostly bodies and souls trail the lords during the Rath Yatra keeping a close vigil on the event to get
Moksha (salvation) by tasting the holy drink. A large number of devotees too jostled with pots in hands to get the drink under the belly of the chariots.
The deities would remain on the Raths and would enter into the main temple’s sanctum sanctorum on Monday night in ceremonial Pahandi procession to be conducted by the Daita servitors. Before entering into the temple, the deities would be offered Rosgullas bhog on the Raths.