Puri, Public entry to the Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri will remain closed from 6 pm on Thursday as part of preparations for the 'Bahuda Yatra', the return journey of Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration said the closure is required to facilitate the 'Shodha' of the temple and other rituals ahead of the Bahuda Yatra.
"During this period, key ceremonial rituals will be conducted inside the temple premises. Devotees have been requested to cooperate with the temple administration to ensure the smooth conduct of the rituals," the SJTA said in a statement.
The temple administration also expressed gratitude to the servitors for their cooperation and coordination in conducting the rituals.
This was the last day for devotees to have 'darshan' of the deities at the 'Adapa Mandap', where the sibling deities have been staying since the Rath Yatra.
Long queues of devotees were seen from early morning as the day is also significant for the 'Sandhya Darshan', considered the final opportunity to seek the deities' blessings before they begin their return journey.
"The Sandhya Darshan is one of the most spiritually significant events of the Rath Yatra, as devotees seek the final blessings of the deities before they return to the Jagannath Temple, about 2.6 km away from the Gundicha Temple," a temple official said.
{{/usCountry}}"The Sandhya Darshan is one of the most spiritually significant events of the Rath Yatra, as devotees seek the final blessings of the deities before they return to the Jagannath Temple, about 2.6 km away from the Gundicha Temple," a temple official said.
{{/usCountry}}The deities will be taken back to the Jagannath Temple on their respective chariots during the Bahuda Yatra on Friday.
Anticipating a heavy influx of devotees, the police, civil administration and temple authorities have made elaborate security and crowd management arrangements.
Meanwhile, the 'Dakhina Moda' of the three chariots was completed on Wednesday, positioning them for the return journey.
ADGP Saumendra Priyadarshi said all arrangements for the Bahuda Yatra were on a par with those made for the Rath Yatra.
"Dedicated crowd-control teams have been deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival," he said.
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