Braving an overnight downpour, a massive number of devotees culminated in the coastal town of Puri on Saturday for the sacred “Adapa Bije” ritual, marking the culmination of the first phase of the annual Rath Yatra. Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, are scheduled to enter the Shree Gundicha Temple today.
The three majestic chariots reached the Gundicha temple on Friday afternoon – a day after the Rath Yatra commenced – and the deities remained seated on their carriages overnight in accordance with age-old traditions.
The next phase involves the ceremonial “Adapa Bije” procession, during which the idols are carried from their chariots into the Gundicha temple, considered the birthplace of the sibling deities, in a procession.
The deities will remain at the shrine till July 24, when the return car festival, known as Bahuda Yatra, takes place.
Meanwhile, severe waterlogging from the heavy rains compounded the challenges for the swelling crowds, leaving major roads leading into Puri completely choked with traffic.
To combat the rising waters, local administration deployed high-capacity pumps across the town to drain flooded areas.
Reviewing the security and logistical challenges, Additional Director General of Police Soumendra Priyadarshi, the festival’s in-charge, said that police have been on high alert since Friday night.
“We are actively issuing real-time traffic updates through media and social media channels to help travellers plan their journey to Puri from Bhubaneswar. There is an unending line of vehicles extending over 60 kilometres on National Highway-316 from Bhubaneswar to Puri ,” Priyadarshi noted.
Faced with the massive gridlock, the Puri traffic control room has urged visitors to delay their travel plans by a few hours till the number of vehicles on the national highway reduces.
Officials from both the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and the Puri district administration said the massive surge in visitors on Friday night and Saturday morning to the rare opportunity to glimpse the deities resting on their chariots.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued moderate rain with one or two intense spells in Puri for Saturday. The pilgrim town received 86.6 mm rain in 24 hours till 8.30 am.
