PURI: The Holy Trinity entered Gundicha temple on Monday following ‘Pahandi’ ritual conducted by the Daita servitors. The deities, who reached their aunt’s house on Saturday riding three majestic temple-shaped chariots, stayed put there for a day.Amid chants of Jai Jagannath and Haribol, ‘Goti Pahandi’ was conducted outside the Gundicha temple with Lord Balabhadra being escorted to the ‘Ratna Simhasana’ of the temple first followed by Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. Amid tight security, devotees jostled to have a glimpse of Lord Jagannath as He stepped down the Nandighosa swinging a giant tiara.
Cooked ‘prasad’ called Adap Abhada would be offered to the deities on Tuesday after which, it will available for the devotees. ‘Darshan’ of the deities will be closed from 8 pm to late in the night for observance of ‘Banaklaagi’ ritual where their faces are decorated by Duttamahapatra servitors. Administration has made elaborate arrangements for the devotees in the Gundicha temple complex. A wide dining space has been created with all basic facilities including drinking water. The entire temple has been illuminated and six donation boxes installed throughout the complex.
ASI inspects main shrine
The high level team of Sri Jagannath Temple Repair Monitoring Core Committee led by G C Mitra and Nandini Bhatacharya, the regional director of ASI (Kolkata) inspected sanctum sanctorum, Jagamohan, Natamandap, Bhog mandap and Rosaghar (temple kitchen) of the Jagannath temple on Monday.
They found out that the lintel over the Jai-Bijay door (entrance to Garbha Gruha) was in a bad shape and Natamadap, Rosaghar and Bhog mandap needs repair.
This apart, the Garuda stambha has developed a crack. The ASI was asked to suction out the steam generated from hot food offered to the deities a number of times in a day. The core committee has asked the ASI to repair these structures on a war-footing. Works would be completed before the deities return to main temple on Niladri Bije.