The significance of Odana Sasthi, December 3 (audio mp3)
At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Odana Sasthi. During the Odana-sasthi festival the servants of Lord Jagannatha would dress Lord Jagannatha and Balarama with starched cloth.
This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannatha.That covering is directly purchased from a weaver. According to the archana-marga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. On this occasion by the desire of Lord Jagannatha, His servants dress Him in new, starched clothes.
Lecture by Radha Vallabh Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty.
Listen to it here: https://goo.gl/qVTMAL