Orissa HC Issues Instructions For Smooth Darshan At Alarnath Temple In Odisha’s Puri

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has directed Puri district administration and management of Alarnath temple in Brahmagiri to take necessary steps to ensure smooth darshan of the deity by the devotees.

Hearing a petition filed by Madhusudan Pujapanda, the high court issued a set of instructions to be followed in the shrine which is visited by a large number of devotees during ‘Anasara’ of the deities of Jagannath temple in Puri.

The court has directed to allow the devotees to have darshan of the deity from a barricade to prevent uncontrollable rush on the premises. The authorities must ensure that no servitor takes the devotees close to the deity for offering puja, the court said.

The sale and partaking of prasad inside the temple should be controlled and all rituals completed in time. The court told the temple management to inform the devotees about the timing of the rituals through print and electronic media.

There should be separate entrance for children, elderly persons and physically challenged for smooth darshan, the court said adding that battery-operated vehicles must be provided for transport of the devotees from the parking space to the temple.

In order to maintain law and order, adequate number of CCTV cameras should be installed inside the temple as well as surrounding areas outside the campus, the court ordered.

As per tradition, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balbhadra and Devi Subhadra are confined to ‘Anasara Ghara’ (sick room) as they fall ill after taking holy bath during Devasnana Purnima. The sibling deities will be kept away from public view for 15 days. On the 16th day, they would appear in their youthful forms – Naba Jaubana – before embarking on their nine-day annual sojourn on June 20.

During this period, the devotees throng Alarnath to have darshan and offer puja to the deity there.