Puri: In order to ensure smooth conduct of rituals of Lord Jagannath and His siblings in Gundicha Temple for Bahuda Yatra in Odisha’s Puri town on Saturday, the Sandhya (evening) darshan will not be allowed after 4 pm on Friday.
According to sources, the temple administration has taken this decision since the servitors have to complete the rituals in time before ‘Pahandi Bije’ (grand procession) of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from ‘Adapa Mandap’ in Gundicha temple to their chariots.
Though thousands of devotees throng Gundicha temple for ‘Sandhya’ darshan of the deities on the day before Bahuda Yatra as it is considered highly auspicious, the priests and sevayats have to be given time to perform the rituals. The ‘Charamala’ through which the idols will be alighted from the ‘Adapa Mandap’ for ‘Pahandi Bije’ will be tied upto the door in the evening. As a result, it would not be possible to allow the devotees to have darshan, said a senior servitor of the temple.
However, the devotees can have darshan of the deities inside the temple throughout the day, they added.