Besh is a Sanskrit word, which means dress, costume or outfit. Every day from 'Mangala Alati' to 'Ratri Pahud', the 'Ratnavedi' of Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri is decorated with cotton and silk cloths, gold ornaments studded with precious stones, a variety of flowers and other leaves and herbs to deities goes. Like Tulsi, Dayan, Marua etc. Sandalwood paste, camphor and sometimes precious musk have been used in daily and periodic rituals.
The rituals of the gods are based on anthropological equations, where the worshiped deities are treated like human beings. Whether it is getting up in the morning, taking an afternoon nap; or resting after dinner at night; The sacraments are prepared in a human way. It is said that the Bhagwan changes their clothes and wears different types of ornaments eight times during a normal day.
Dresses on the occasion of various festivals:
During the celebration of various festivals, the deities change their costumes and wear different categories of ceremonial clothes or costumes according to the nature of the festival. Besh is actually an important aspect of the festival.
These Beshas of Bhagwan Jagannath are mainly related to pastimes of Krishna, Rama, Baman, Ganesha etc. Some of the important festival Besh of the deities are mentioned below.
1. Ganesh Besh: On the day of Snan Purnima, the deities are dressed as Ganesha on the Snan altar. It is also called Hathi Besh.
2. Suna Besh: After the festival is over during the Rath Yatra, on the 11th day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashadh, the deities go to sleep in the chariot.
Suna Besh is also performed on some other occasions.
3. Ban Bhoji Besh, Kaliyadalan Besh, Pralambasura Badha Besh, Krishna - Balaram Besh: Performed on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrav respectively.
4. Raja Besh: Performed on the 10th day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashwin.
5. Radha-Damodar Besh: Dashami Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha from 11th day of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin.
6. Lakshmi Narayan (Thiyakia) Besh, Bankachuda (Baman) Besh, Tribikram (Adakiya) Besh, Narasimha (Dalikiya) Besh, Lakshmi Narayan (Raja Rajeshwar) Besh, Nagarjuna (Parashuram) Besh: on 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and Respectively the day of Kartik Purnima is done.
Nagarjuna (Parashurama) Besh: On the 13th or 14th day of the Shukla Paksha of Kartik. This festive adornment of God is done only occasionally.
7. Sada Besha or Ghodalagi Besha: Ghodalagi Besha is celebrated on the 5th day of Shukla Paksha in Magha. The day from which this Ghodalgi Besha begins is called Odhana Sashti (the day of Sashti when the Bhagwan is covered). The concluding day of this Besh is Basant Panchami, the day of Saraswati Puja.
8. Jamlagi Besh: It is done from Basant Panchami till Dol Yatra.
9. Padma Besh: It is performed on any Saturday or Wednesday between the new moon day of Magha month and Vasant Panchami.
10. Gaj Udharan Besh: It is done on the full moon day of Magh.
11. Chacheri Besh: It is performed from Dashami Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Phalgun till Purnima Tithi except 14th Tithi.
12. Chandanalagi Besh: Performed for 42 days starting from
Akshaya Tritiya day i.e. on the third day of Shukla Paksha of Baisakh.