Jagannatha along his brother and sister suffers from high fever for 15 days after Snanapurnima remaining in absolute confinement called Anabasara. It is said that the Lord regains his health back on Netrotsava and gets impatient to meet his devotees, as the parched-earth waits to bathe in the first drizzle of rains of the season after a harsh summer.

The pujapandas of each deity paints the eyes of the Lord reciting the relevant mantra or hymns before the lord is ready to embrace the eager eyes of his bhakta adorned in the costume of the day. Netrotsava symbolizes "Yatha dehe tatha deve" and delivers the message of opening the inner self to the eternal truth against falling prey to Maya or illusion.