Puri: The duration of Nbajaubana Darshan of the sibling deities in Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s pilgrim town of Puri on July 14 will be shorter than usual this year due to ritual requirements.
The decision was taken after a thorough review of the final preparations for the annual Rath Yatra of the sibling deities, according to Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabindha Padhee.
He said the Nabajaubana Darshan, scheduled to be held in the evening of July 14, will be available for devotees only for a limited period owing to the temple’s prescribed rituals.
As the Lord’s Rath Yatra is approaching after the completion of a large number of rituals, all the servitors, the Chhatisha Nijoga, and the Temple Managing Committee are prioritising the timely execution of the rituals. Therefore, Netrotsaba or Nabajaubana Darshana may be for a shorter duration this year compared to previous years.
The SJTA chief also announced that darshan of the deities will remain suspended on July 15 on account of Ubha Amavasya, in keeping with the temple’s traditional observances.
Regarding crowd management and security during Rath Yatra festival, Padhee said no unauthorised person will be allowed to climb the chariots. Strict action will be taken against anyone impersonating a servitor or facilitating unauthorised access to the chariots.
This apart, the administration will strictly enforce the cordon pass system. Anyone found entering the restricted cordoned area without authorisation will be respectfully escorted out.
Similarly, the restrictions on carrying mobile phones on the chariots will be strictly enforced, he said, adding that no one including servitors will be permitted to use mobile devices on the chariots. A dedicated monitoring team has been deployed to ensure compliance with the directive during the festival.
