BERHAMPUR: Despite scorching heat, over 50,000 devotees visited the hill-top shrine of Tara Tarini in Ganjam district to offer prayers on the concluding day of the Chaitra Yatra on Tuesday.
More than one lakh devotees thronged the 17th-century shrine throughout the Chaitra month, participating in the festival held every Tuesday to worship the deity.
Pramod Kumar Panda, member of the Tara Tarini Temple trust board and secretary of the Tara Tarini temple development board (TTTDB) said all the rituals and functions of the festival concluded smoothly without any obstacles.
The festival which began on March 26, witnessed devotees from across the state and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, and New Delhi.
About 20,000 children, accompanied by their parents, underwent ‘Mundan’ (tonsuring) at five locations on the foothills. A total of 625 barbers were deployed by the temple board for the purpose, said TK Reddy executive officer of the temple management.
The temple’s doors were opened to devotees for darshan of Goddesses Tara Tarini at 6:30 am on the final day. Sanjay Kumar Singh, principal secretary, RD and I&PR department was among the first members of the public to have darshan and offer prayers.
Elaborate arrangements, including drinking water facilities, were made by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) at bus stops on the foothills, hilltop, the ropeway destinations, and the Mundan spots.
Tara Tarini shrine is considered as “Stana Peetha” (breast shrine) of Mata Sati, is one of four major ancient Shakti centres in India.