Puri: Devotees were baffled Friday morning to see hundreds of dead fish floating on Puri’s sacred ‘Narendra Pushkarini’ – a pond that has close links to Lord Jagannath temple.
While the exact reason behind fishes dying in large numbers is yet to be ascertained, locals pointed towards excessive pollution.
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Despite the cultural significance of the waterbody, it languishes under administrative apathy. The surrounding areas of the pond have been producing bad odour and commuters face utter difficulties.
Meanwhile, this incident has triggered resentment among devotees and visitors coming to Puri. Local residents have demanded immediate cleaning of the pond.
Notably, the pond is considered a sacred place for Vaishnavites across the state and beyond. According to Jagannath temple tradition, water sport (Jalakrida) of the deities during Chandan Jatra and other occasions are conducted here. It is believed that a dip taken here leads to salvation.
PNN