Curbs on holy dip in Pancha Tirtha in Puri this time in view of COVID-19

PURI: The district administration has urged devotees to refrain from visiting the Pancha Tirtha for taking holy dip in the sacred ponds on the occasion of Kartik Purnima in view of the Covid-19 situation.

Every year on the Kartik Purnima morning, hundreds of devotees, observing ‘brata’ for a month, take holy dip in Indradyumna, Markanda, Narendra, Swetha Ganga and Mahodadhi ponds, considered as Pancha Tirtha and offer  prayers to Tulsi tree.

They also float tiny vessels in the water to mark the Boita Bandana tradition recounting the glorious maritime history of the State. 

After taking bath in these ponds, the devotees rush to Sri Jagannath temple to witness the Suna Vesha (Rajrajeswar Vesha) of the deities on Ratnasimhasan in the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th-century shrine.
The Srimandir has been closed for devotees from March 20. The Suna Vesha would be observed by servitors in absence of devotees. 

The administration has deployed adequate police personnel to prevent gathering of devotees at the Panch Tirtha while Boita Bandana ritual has been banned to prevent mass gathering to contain the spread of coronavirus. 

Meanwhile, for the first time in around eight months, no Covid-19 cases were reported from Puri town on Sunday. The rest of the district reported only 15 positive cases. So far, a total of 13,542 Covid cases have been detected in Puri of which 13,252 have recovered and 101 died.

In a separate incident on the day, a man sustained injury while drawing water from the temple well on Srimandir premises for cooking Mahaprasad. The injured, identified as Bhagi Panda, was rushed to the district headquarters hospital. He is being treated for head injury.

Section 144 at 14 temples in Jagatsinghpur

The administration on Sunday clamped Section 144 at 14 temples in the district to prevent mass congregation on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.

Jagatsinghpur Collector Saroj Kumar Mishra has imposed prohibitory orders at Sarala temple in Kanakpur under Tirtol block, Jagannath temple in Paradip town, Jagannath temple in Gadakujang, Grameswar temple in Panchpulli, Sarabant Jagannath temple at Sahadabedi, Sri Brundban Bihari Jew at Goda, Garoi Jagannath temple, Nilakantheswar Mahadev temple, Gothada temple, Chandrapura Jagannath temple, Alana II Jagannath temple, Dhayankud Jagannath temple, Muchukund Mahadev temple at Somanath, Gatanath Mahadev temple, Sidhala Jagannath temple and Gorakhnath temple.

Every year, people from different parts of the district throng these temples on Kartik Purnima. The administration’s ban comes in wake of the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the district. The ban will remain in force till November 30.