Servitor Injured For Heavy Rush Of Devotees In Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri: A servitor was injured as he fell down amid heavy rush of devotees inside Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri town on Saturday.

As per reports, Bojhia servitor Jambeswar Baral was carrying Mahaprasad on his head when he slipped after being pushed by the devotees and fell down on “Baisi Pahacha” (22 stairs) inside the temple near the entrance of Singhadwar (Lions Gate) in the afternoon.

Baral sustained injuries and hot rice and dal fell on his body on the impact of the fall. The police and other servitors rushed him to the district headquarters hospital (DHH). His condition was stated to be stable.

Sources said there was unusual rush of devotees in the temple on the day on the occasion of “Bada Osha” which is observed on the third day of ‘Panchuka’. The last five days of holy month of Kartik in Odia calendar is observed as ‘Panchuka’.

An estimated 1.75 lakh devotees visited the temple by afternoon to have darshan of the deities by afternoon, they added.