Puri: The month-long Kartik Brata concluded on Purnima (the full moon day), Friday. Special rituals were performed at government-run Habishyali centres to mark the conclusion of the Brata. From midnight, Habishyalis rushed to the Mahodadhi (a 5 km stretch of beach from Swargadwar to Chakratirtha) to take a holy dip and sail miniature boats in the sea. Other sacred water bodies were also used to commemorate the glorious maritime trade of ancient Kalinga.
Devotees offered special pujas to the sacred Tulsi (basil) plant and took holy dips in Mahodadhi. After offering prayers to the rising Sun, they visited Srimandir to witness the Rajarajeswar Besha of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. A heavy rush of devotees was seen at the Lion’s Gate of the 12th-century shrine, with long queues forming within barricades.
The administration effectively managed the crowd, ensuring a smooth darshan of the deities. Starting at midnight, priests performed the daily rituals of the deities, including Mangal Arati, Mailum, Tadaplagi, Abakash, Surya Puja and Rosa Homa, and offered Gopal Bhog.
As per the rescheduled timings set by the temple administration, three special sets of servitors dressed the deities in gold ornaments studded with precious gems. After the darshan of the deities, many Habishyalis began their return journey by buses and trains, while others chose to stay until the rush subsided. The state government hosted about 3,500 devotees from across Odisha, providing accommodation, food, and other facilities at its expense. They were housed in four different accommodations, including Brundabati Niwas, a seven-story building with a capacity to house over 1,000 devotees. These centres were well-furnished with basic amenities to meet the needs of the devotees for performing their religious rites.
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Devotees were provided with breakfast and Mahaprasad daily. Transportation to and from the temple, assistance from appointed servitors, evening religious discourses by scholars, and healthcare were also arranged for their convenience. To ensure safety and order, about 37 platoons of police personnel were deployed to regulate vehicular traffic and maintain law and order. Hundreds of lifeguards were stationed at the sea beach and sacred water bodies to prevent drowning incidents. District Collector Siddharth Sankar Swain, Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee personally oversaw the arrangements for the Habishyalis. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and his deputy Pravati Parida also visited the Habishyali centres during the festival.
