Puri on alert as sibling deities make return journey today

BHUBANESWAR: Buoyed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s appreciation for the smooth conduct of Rath Yatra on July 12 by following Covid-safety norms, the Puri administration is determined to make Tuesday’s Bahuda Yatra or the return journey of the chariots a success as well.
Like Rath Yatra, the government has banned the participation of devotees for Bahuda in view of the pandemic. The administration imposed curfew across Puri town on Monday evening and this will continue till Wednesday evening.

The sibling deities, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, who stayed in Gundicha Temple (their birthplace) for seven days since the Rath Yatra, are scheduled to commence their return journey towards Jagannath Temple around 4 pm on Tuesday. The deities, however, will be taken inside the Jagannath Temple three days later, on the occasion of Niladri Bije.
“All arrangements are in place. For Bahuda, we will repeat the same arrangements we did for Rath. Devotees will not be allowed to gather on Grand Road or anywhere in Puri. We request the devotees to stay at home and watch the Bahuda Yatra live on television,” Puri district collector Samarth Verma said.
Krishan Kumar, the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, held a meeting with Verma, superintendent of police (SP) Kanwar Vishal Singh and other district and temple officials and oversaw the arrangements. “We have been assured by the servitors of timely conduct of the rituals,” Kumar said.
Like Rath Yatra, the administration has subjected servitors, temple staff and district officials to RT-PCR tests in the run-up to Bahuda. Only those whose reports return negative will be allowed to conduct Bahuda. Police have made adequate security arrangements to enforce curfew in the town. “We have sealed all the entry points to Puri. Barricades have been put up in lanes and by-lanes connecting to the Grand Road to prevent people from gathering on the Bahuda Yatra route. Public congregation on rooftops and balconies of buildings along the Grand Road has been banned,” the Puri SP said.
Students appearing for JEE on Tuesday can show their ID/admit cards at checkpoints and proceed towards the exam centre, the police said. Devotees expressed disappointment at missing out on catching a glimpse of the deities. “It was Sandhya Darshan or Navami Darshan, an auspicious day, on Monday. Darshan of the deities in Gundicha Temple on the occasion of Sandhya Darshan is considered a divine bliss. Unfortunately, we have been deprived of the opportunity for the second year in a row due to Covid restrictions,” said Sabarna Mohanty, a devotee.