The Snana Yatra, also popularly known as the Jagannath Snana Yatra or Debasnana Purnima, is an annual bathing festival of deities, celebrated at the Jagannatha Temple in Puri, Odisha. This day falls on the purnima (full moon day) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, which corresponds to May or June in the Gregorian calendar. Jagannath Snana Yatra is an auspicious day as it celebrates the birthday of Lord Jagannath. This day is considered to be among the most important festivals by those following the Vaishnava tradition. Snana Yatra 2025 falls on June 11 and will be celebrated with great fervour in Puri, Odisha.

Snana Yatra 2025 Date

Snana Yatra 2025 falls on Wednesday, June 11.

Snana Yatra: Brief History

At this ceremony, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra emerge for the first time outside of a temple before Rath Yatra begins. The Snana Yatra tradition can be traced back to the 12th century and is associated with great legends. On this day, the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Sudarshana, and Madanmohana are brought out from the Jagannath Temple and taken in a procession to the Snana Bedi. There, they are ceremonially bathed and decorated for a public audience with the devotees.

Snana Yatra Rituals

  • On the day of Snana Yatra, the idols of the deities are brought out of the sanctum and placed on the Snana Mandap, a specially decorated bathing platform.

  • They are ceremonially bathed with 108 pots of consecrated water drawn from the golden well (Suna Kua) within the temple premises.

  • After the bath, the deities are dressed in elephant attire (Hati Besha), symbolising their divine and majestic form. This is a rare and captivating sight for devotees.

  • On this day, thousands of devotees gather to witness this grand spectacle. This is said to be one of the rare occasions when non-Hindus and those outside the temple premises can catch a glimpse of the deities.

  • This day marks the first public appearance of Lord Jagannatha and his siblings before the grand Ratha Yatra.

Snana Yatra Significance

The day of Snana Yatra holds great significance for Hindus. The bathing ritual signifies the purification and rejuvenation of the deities, aligning with the changing seasons. Following the Snana Yatra, the deities enter a period of seclusion called Anasara, during which they are believed to recuperate from the effects of the grand bath. As per a popular legend, a devotee named Ganapati Bhatta wished to see Lord Jagannath in an elephant-faced form, resembling Lord Ganesha. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Jagannath assumed this form, which led to the tradition of Hati Besha during Snana Yatra.

Snana Yatra is an extraordinary opportunity for pilgrims to immerse themselves in the devotion and grandeur of Lord Jagannatha’s worship. It is a belief among devotees of Lord Jagannath that if they make a pilgrimage to see the deity on this day, they would be cleansed of all of their sins. Thousands of devotees visit the temple on the occasion to take a glimpse and blessings of the deities. As per religious beliefs, it is said that the Skanda Purana mentions that King Indradyumna arranged this ceremony for the first time when the idols of the deities were first installed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 11, 2025 10:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).