Puri

Thousands of devotees lined up in front of Shree Gundicha Temple here on Friday for 'Sandhya Darshan' on the auspicious occasion of 'Navami Tithi', the last day to offer obeisance to the sibling deities — Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath — at their birthplace before 'Bahuda Yatra.'

Bahuda Yatra, scheduled for Saturday, marks the return journey of the deities to their original abode after the nine-day annual sojourn that began with Rath Yatra on June 27.

DGP YB Khurania and top officials of the state administration supervised the proceedings to ensure a smooth darshan.

"Devotees are entering the temple in queues and the process has been continuing smoothly since early morning. All arrangements have been made keeping the devotees’ safety in mind. People are being advised to follow the norms," Khurania said.

Besides Khurania, ADG Soumendra Priyadarshi, senior bureaucrat Aravind Agarwal, Puri Collector Chanchal Rana, SP Pinak Mishra and others were also present.

All arrangements were made anticipating a massive turnout of devotees on the occasion, Mishra said.

Security has been tightened following the tragic stampede incident near the temple on June 29, which left three people dead and around 50 injured.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had earlier said that public entry to the temple would be permitted till 6 PM on Friday.

"On the occasion of ‘Sandhya Darshan’ on Friday, public entry at the Singhadwar (Lion’s Gate) of Shree Gundicha Temple will remain closed from 6 PM onwards. This arrangement is being made in view of the necessary rituals and detailed preparations to be conducted ahead of the auspicious Bahuda Yatra of the deities," SJTA informed in an X post.

Sandhya Darshan takes place on Asadha Shukla Paksha Navami tithi every year at Gundicha Temple. It is considered one of the most auspicious days during the nine-day Rath Yatra festival, said Pandit Suryanarayan Rathsharma.

As part of the preparations, the chariots have been rotated southward, ready for the journey back to the 12th-century shrine.

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Meanwhile, Puri Police conducted hotel checks across the city to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of all guests, police said.