Bhubaneswar, June 23: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has made elaborate arrangements for Nabajouban Darshan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra Saturday.
The Srimandir deities will be brought out of the Anasara Gruha (asylum of the sick) on the temple premises after a 14-day stay there. The deities caught fever after taking a bath on the occasion of Snana Purnima June 9.
Daita servitors had attended to the deities and administered ayurvedic medicines to them.
The district administration has deployed 30 platoons of armed police to maintain law and order.
Ahead of Lord Jagannath’s annual Rath Yatra June 25, Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) today put a ban on climbing the chariots and touching deities.
“Climbing the chariots and touching the deities during the festival is not permissible as per the order of the Orissa High Court. Criminal action may be taken against anyone found violating the court order,” SJTA chief administrator P K Jena told reporters here.
Jena, a senior IAS officer, in-charge of the temple administration, said it is strictly prohibited for devotees to touch the deities or even climb the chariots. “We will ensure that no such incident takes place during Rath Yatra. During the Pahandi (procession) of deities no devotees will be allowed to touch idols. The decision of 2014 of SJTA and High Court will be followed. Climbing the chariots in the attire of servitors will be treated as a criminal offence,” Jena said.
Jena said the administration has made provision of sign boards to be put at different places in order to create awareness among devotees visiting the holy town.
The state government expected congregation of about 10 lakh devotees during the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannth. PNN
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