Ratha Jatra: No Adapa darshan of Lord Jagannath this evening

Puri: Ahead of Bahuda Jatra of Lord Jagannath and His siblings, devotees will be prevented to have Adapa darshan of deities at the Gundicha Temple from today afternoon.

“The Sandhya (evening) darshan of Lord Jagannath on Adapa Mandap will not be allowed for devotees from 4 pm onwards today. The devotees can have darshan inside the Gundicha Temple throughout the day,” informed a senior servitor Dr Sarat Chandra Mohanty.

Usually, the Sandhya darshan of deities is held in the evening. The devotees in large number from many parts of the country throng the Gundicha Temple during 9-day Ratha Jatra to have Holy darshan of Lord Jagannath on Adapa Mandap for spirtual bliss.

“There is a belief that devotees by offering prayer and having darshan of Chaturdhamurti on Adapa Mandap at Gundicha Temple in the evening before Bahuda Jatra obtain virtues of thousands and millions of births. However, in view of smooth conduct of rituals of deities for Bahuda Jatra scheduled tomorrow morning, the temple administration has decided to close the public darshan 4 hours before the schedule. Hence, there will be no Sandhya darshan after 4 pm today,” the senior Chunara Sevayat said.

“Of course, the temple administration’s decision restricting devotees from darshan in the evening has hurt their sentiments. But, the servitors have to get ready to complete all rituals before pahandi in the morning. The Charamala through which the idols will be alighted from the Adapa Mandap for pahandi rituals will be tied from Ratna Singhasan upto door in the evening after conducting Srimukha Khandua (A cloth made of Khandua Patta covering Lords’ faces) ritual of deities,” he told media.