Puri: General darshan at Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri was disrupted for quite some time as the ‘Bada Maha Snana’ ritual was performed inside the 12th-century shrine on Monday.
Sources said the special ritual was conducted after a child vomited near the Bhitara Katha of the temple amid a heavy rush of devotees. Soon after the incident, the temple door was closed, and the special purification ritual was performed.
General darshan was underway after Abakasha Puja in the morning amid the rush of devotees.
Amid heavy rush, a child vomited apparently due to suffocation, prompting the servitors to halt the darshan and purify the shrine through Bada Maha Snana.
The special ritual delayed other rituals in the temple, leading to devotees waiting in long queues outside the temple.
The sudden halt led to long queues outside the shrine as other rituals were delayed. Many devotees expressed concern but remained understanding, acknowledging the temple’s commitment to preserving ritualistic sanctity.
Darshan resumed after completion of the cleansing ceremony, and temple administration ensured crowd management efforts were in place to avoid further disruptions.