Puri: Darshan of the sibling deities was temporarily halted and a special purification ceremony, popularly known as Maha Snana, was performed at Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri town on Sunday after blood stains were detected near Bhitara Katha.
According to sources, some servitors spotted the blood stains as soon as darshan of the deities commenced after completion of the morning rituals – Dwara Phita Niti and Mangala Alati. Following which, the special purification ceremony was performed, which lasted for over 40-45 minutes. Darshan of the deities was also halted for smooth conduct of the ceremony.
However, the source of the blood stains remains unclear.
Notably, the 12th-century shrine witnesses huge influx of devotees on Sundays.