The Gajanan disguise performed on the day of Snana Purnima is an example of Bhagwan Jagannath's love for his devotees. Many years ago, there was a Ganesh devotee named Ganapati Bhatt in the state of Maharashtra. This devotee used to deny the existence of any other deity as for him, Shri Ganesh was the embodiment of Param Brahma. Once a friend of his who had returned from Puri narrated the glory of Bhagwan Jagannath to him and advised him to go to Puri once. But Ganapati was adamant and ridiculed his friend. As the days passed, he found more and more people who would describe this unique Jagannatha form of Sri Hari Vishnu before him and Ganapati would deny it all.

Finally one day fed up, Ganpati said that he is ready to go to Puri but he has one condition. If Bhagwan Jagannath is Param Brahma, then he will have to give darshan to him in the form of Bhagwan Ganesh. After a long journey, Ganpati Bhatt reached the temple on the day Devasnana Purnima. He was bewildered at what he saw there. After bathing, Ganesh ji stood in place of Bhagwan Jagannath. Ganapati Bhatta had now realized that Bhagwan Jagannath was Param Brahma and became his supreme devotee. That is why on the day of Snan Purnima, after bathing, God is disguised as Gajanan.

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