Puri: About 3.5 lakh people thronged the Pilgrim City on the New Year’s Day (NYD) Monday even as the district administration and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) made elaborate arrangements for smooth darshan of the presiding deities of Srimandir. The SJTA and police have made elaborate arrangements for smooth darshan. An air-conditioned tensile fabric structure built outside the temple was made functional for devotees from Monday morning. Facilities such as drinking water and public toilets have been made available at the structure, which has also been equipped with CCTV cameras and public announcement system.
Sitting arrangements have also been provided in them. Inspector general of police (central range) Ashish Kumar Singh said, “Nearly more than double the number of devotees compared to the same day last year have already visited the temple today. The darshan (of deities) began early at 1:40 am and is still going on. The darshan was halted for some time to hold the rituals connected with the deities.” Special arrangements have been made for senior citizens and people with disabilities. After visiting the temple, the devotees are exiting through the north gate, Singh added. According to SJTA sources, about 3.5 lakh people visited the 12th-century shrine till 5pm of the NYD. Traffic restrictions have been imposed in the town for NYD. The area between Market Chakka to Singhadwara (main gate) on Badadanda has been declared ‘no vehicle zone’, while vehicles have been banned on the beachside road from Digabareni to the lighthouse, officials said.
Consumption of pan and tobacco products has also been banned inside the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar from Monday. Devotees found chewing tobacco or betel leaves are not being allowed to enter the premises of the 11th century Shiva temple. The use of polythene and plastics has also been banned in the temple as decided by the Lingaraj Temple Trust Board.