Berhampur: Over 1.5 lakh devotees thronged the famous 17th-century shrine of Tara Tarini in Ganjam district to participate in the ‘Chaitra Yatra’ festival today being held every Tuesday of the Hindu month of Chaitra (March to April) each year.
The temple was decorated as a bride. This year, the yatra will be held on five days on March 26, April 2, 9, 16 and 23.
Lakhs of devotees from across Odisha and outside including Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, New Delhi visit the shrine to participate in the month-long weekly festival and seek blessings of the presiding deity. Tara Tarini shrine, located at Kumari hill on the banks of Rushikulya River, is a major centre of Shakti worship in Odisha.
Pramod Kumar Panda Member of the Tara Tarini Temple Trust Board and also Secretary Tara Tarini Temple Development Board said that the temple was opened at 5 am in the early morning today and the Goddess appeared before the devotees as ‘Mahakali’ for which the devotees were in the queue since midnight.
Devotees can reach the hilltop temple either by climbing 999 steps, ropeway or 20 Ganjam Urban Transport Services Limited GUTSL buses. The ticket charge of the bus per each passenger has been fixed at Rs 60 (to and fro) on Tuesdays during ‘Chaitra Yatra’ festival against the charge of Rs 30 on any other days. These GUTSEL buses are transporting the devotees from the foothills to the hilltop temple every day since long at a charge of Rs 30 on normal days. But extra buses are being arranged for the Chaitra Tuesdays to tackle the rushes. The charges for ropeway managed by a private company ‘Ushabreco’ per head is fixed at Rs 60 on any days. However, about 70 percent of the devotees prefer to reach the hilltop temple by climbing steps, sources said.
The tonsuring of the heads of small children called ‘Mundan’ as an earlier wish was also banned on the hilltop. Five places on the foothills are earmarked for tonsuring heads, said Pramod Kumar Panda.
All the vehicles are being parked at the foothill for which five slots have been earmarked.
No makeshift shops are being allowed near the temple. Special arrangements are being made to accommodate these shops on the foothills. No mineral water and cold drinks are being sold on the hilltop. But provision of adequate supply of drinking water for the devotees was made.
Tight security arrangements have been made under the direct guidance of the District Collector of Ganjam Dibyajyoti Parida and Ganjam SP Jagmohan Meena who took stock of the measures from the beginning.
