All roads lead to Puri: Devotees milling around the three chariots parked outside Singhadwar in Puri Tuesday evening
Post News Network
Puri, July 5: Lakhs of devotees thronged the pilgrim city Tuesday to have a darshan of the new youthful appearance of the deities (Nabajouban), popularly called Netrotsav.
The holy triad — Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister devi Subhadra of the 12th century Jagannath temple —appeared for public darshan Tuesday, a day prior to the Rath Yatra festival after convalescing from fever for a fortnight.
As per temple tradition, the deities were accorded fresh dress and a special set of beauticians (singharies) took care of decking up the deities with traditional herbal cosmetics called ‘Banak laagi’ before they appeared for public darshan Tuesday morning.
After observance of a complex set of rituals, the deities appeared for public darshan Tuesday which continued till Tuesday evening.
The daita servitors known as the body protectors of the deities would work through the night to dress up the deities with a special body armour called ‘Chhenapatta laagi’ to enable the deities to bear the stress of the pahandi procession Wednesday on a nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha temple. Arrangements have been made by the temple and the police administration for smooth conduct of the festival.
The deities were in the sick room of the temple called ‘Anasara Ghar’ for 15 days after they had holy bath with 108 pitchers of aromatic water on snan purnima day. Darshan of the deities was closed for a fortnight.
The temple physician (vaidya) administered herbal medicines and provided fruit diet for the deities during these days. Elaborate security arrangements were made in the city for smooth conduct of the festival.
Official sources said 145 platoons of armed police, 750 police officers of various ranks, ten platoons of the Special Operation Group (SOG) commandos, three companies of Rapid Action Force, two anti-terrorist units, bomb disposal and detection squads have been deployed for the car festival.
