Badadanda Frontage to be Free of Makeshift Shops During Panchuka for Seamless Darshan

Puri: In preparation for the upcoming Panchuka, a significant religious observance in the Holy Kartik month, the makeshift shops lining Badadanda in front of Puri’s Lord Jagannath temple will remain closed for five days to effectively manage traffic snarls. District Collector Samarth Verma announced this measure, emphasizing the need for smooth Darshan of the Holy Trinity by devotees and tourists.

To facilitate the flow of devotees, the Grand Road will be barricaded from Lion’s Gate (Singha Dwar) to Marichikote Chhak. Vehicular movement will be halted from Market Chhak in the town. Volunteer shifts will be organized to control the crowd, and additional security measures will be implemented with the deployment of thirty more platoons of force.

In response to concerns about crowd management, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Ranjan Kumar Das advised elderly and ailing individuals to avoid visiting the 12th-century Vaishnavite shrine during peak times. Das emphasized the omnipresence of God, stating that devotees can invoke the divine from any location. He further recommended that feeble and weak individuals refrain from having Darshan of the Holy Trinity.

To enhance the overall experience for devotees, temporary toilets have been set up along the Grand Road, and information on traffic management will be disseminated through public address systems. Additionally, pure drinking water provisions have been made at each rest shed for the convenience of visitors. The collective efforts aim to ensure a seamless and secure environment for devotees during this auspicious period.