Thousands of devotees gathered at the Puri temple today to catch a glimpse of Lord Jagannath's Lakshmi Nrusingha Besha on the occasion of Kartik Shukla Chaturdashi.
The deity was adorned with a golden Shreebhuja, Shreepayara, and Chakra, along with a silver conch shell. Lord Balabhadra was also adorned with golden ornaments.
The Besha, also known as Adkiya Besha, drew large crowds, with devotees eagerly waiting to see the deity.
Security arrangements have been tightened, with two Oxygen Rescue Units deployed to rescue devotees who become unconscious due to the heavy crowd.
The Lakshmi Nrusingha Besha is held in accordance with the Sharda Purana, which describes Lord Jagannath's appearance to Maharaja Indradyumna in the form of Nrusimha.
Tomorrow, the Rajarajeshwar or Suna Besha will be held, which is eagerly awaited by devotees.