PURI: This year, around 3,024 habisyalis (elderly women devotees) have registered with the government to observe the month-long Kartik Brata. The brata will begin from October 29 and conclude on November 28.
While the highest number of 954 applications have come from the Khurda district, 885 devotees are from Puri, 385 are from Ganjam and 310 belong to Nayagarh. The devotees who intended to avail the government stay facilities had applied to their respective district administrations as per the standard operating procedure.
As per an official press release, they will be housed at Brundabati Nivas, Bagala and Bagadia dharmashalas, Mochi Sahi Kalyan Mandap and Akshaya Patra building. The district administration will take care of their health, food, transport to and from the temple, evening religious discourses and other brata needs.
Meanwhile, Puri collector Samarth Verma in a meeting on Thursday asked all departments to extend services to the habisyalis. A number of doctors along will other paramedical staff will attend to the medical needs of the elderly devotees.
A nodal officer will escort the devotees to their respective places of stay. Besides, two help desks will operate at the railway station and bus stand. The district administration has also roped in a number of NGOs and government personnel to serve the habisyalis.