Bhubaneswar: Devotees flocked to temples in Odisha to seek blessings on New Year’s day.
In Puri, thousands of devotees made their way to the Jagannath temple, which opened at 1 am. The administration has made special arrangements for the smooth entry and exit of devotees. Puri SP Umashankar Das informed that barricades have been put up near Simhadwara (main gate) through which devotees can enter the temple in queues. They will leave the temple through the west, south and north gates.
In Bhubaneswar, devotees started flocking to the Lingaraj temple since early morning. Special arrangements have been made by the commissionerate police for the smooth darshan of the Lord.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan was among those who visited the Lingaraj temple on Wednesday. He went around the temple and praised the development work in the temple periphery. “Though the development work is delayed, the initiative by the state government to beautify the temple periphery is commendable,” he added.
In Konark, people in thousands had a glimpse of the first sunrise of the year at Chandrabhaga beach.
Besides, there was a heavy rush of devotees at other major shrines like the Samaleswari in Sambalpur, Maa Mangala in Kakatpur in Puri, Kapilash in Dhenkanal, Maa Sarala in Jagatsinghpur, Gupteswar in Koraput, Maa Chandi and Dhabaleswar in Cuttack, Charchika in Banki, Bhagabati in Banapur, Ugratara in Khurda and Baladev Jew in Kendrapara.
