Puri: The Srimandir deities, Lord Jagannath and his siblings, were Monday evening placed at the Adapa Mandap after being taken inside the Gundicha temple, where they will stay for the next seven days till Bahuda (return car festival).
According to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) sources, devotees can have darshan of the deities as well as ‘Adapa Abhada’ beginning Tuesday.
Several rituals, including Alati to Sandhya Dhupa, were completed by 3pm Monday before preparations began for Pahandi of the deities.
As per the rituals, Lord Madanmohan and Lord Ramakrushna were taken to the Adapa Mandap at 5.45pm. Later, Sudarshan was taken to the mandap at 6.05pm amid the chanting of mantras and beating of cymbals. “Lord Balabhadra was carried on ‘Goti Pahandi’ at 6.20pm, Devi Subhadra at 7.20pm and Lord Jagannath, whose Pahandi began at 7.50pm, entered the Adapa Mandap at 8.25pm,” the source said.
Mangala Alati will be performed Tuesday morning after Dwara Phita ritual at 5am. After completion of Mailam, Tadap Lagi, Abakas rituals, Sahanamela Darshan will be organised for one hour—from 7am to 8am.
Meanwhile, SJTA public relations officer (PRO) Laxmidhar Pujapanda briefed about the Hera Panchami ritual scheduled for Wednesday. “The Banakalagi ritual of the Srimandir deities will be performed Tuesday for which devotees will be barred from having darshan of the deities from 8pm till late Tuesday night. Since it is a secret ritual, the Jay-Bijay gate of the Gundicha temple will remain shut,” Pujapanda said.
Devotee touches Lord Sudarsan
Puri: Although the Shree Jaganath Temple Administration (SJTA) has imposed several restrictions during Rath Yatra, some of the devotees are violating them. A devotee touched Lord Sudarsan’s idol and captured the act in his mobile camera during Adapa Mandap bije ritual at Gundicha temple Saturday. Sources said Pahandi started at 5.40pm. Following the rituals, Lord Madanmohan and Lord Ramkrushna were taken to Adapa mandap around 5.45pm. Later, servitors were carrying Lord Sudarsan’s idol on their shoulders on ‘Goti Pahandi’ when the unidentified devotee touched the deity. The person managed to escape from the spot amid presence of thousands of police personnel. It is worth mentioning that, a devotee had touched Subhadra during the Pahandi on the day of Rath Yatra.
Female OSAF jawans for Rath Yatra
Cuttack: In view of safety of female devotees during Rath Yatra in Puri, the state police has deployed more than 300 female Odisha Swift Action Force (OSAF) personnel at the Pilgrim town. According to police sources, the female OSAF personnel are deployed at crowed places like, bus stand, railway station and the beach. Women in distress can contact any members of OSAF, said the department sources. In order to ensure smooth conduct of the festival, 200 battalions are deployed in the Holy town along with 1,000 police officers.