Puri temple bars devotes to witness 'Nabajouban darshan' of the trinity ahead of Rath Yatra

Puri: Lakhs of devotees will be debarred this year from witnessing the Nabajouban darshan of the trinity of Sri Jagannath Temple held a day before the Rath Yatra.

In normal years the presiding deities of Sri Jagannath temple, appear in new youthful images called Nabajouban Darshan, after spending a fortnight in the Anasar(sick room), a day before the grand event of the Rath Yatra.

However, this year all three rituals such as “ Netra Ustav”,” Nabajouban Darshan” and Rath Yatra will be held on a single day on July 7.

Sri Jagannath temple managing committee in its meeting on Tuesday approved the Rath yatra schedule till the end of the fete called Niladri Bije, prepared and proposed by the Chhatisha Nijog and the sub-committee for temple rituals.

Since this year the Anasar period as per the temple almanac has been reduced to 13 days against the normal fifteen days Nabajouban darshan ritual has been dispensed with.

This year proceedings are being done as per the 1971 Rath Yatra when a similar situation arose.

Temple sources said many rituals will be advanced and observed simultaneously on the day of the Rath Yatra scheduled on July 7.

The three chariots will be veering from the construction yard to the Simhadwar on the previous night.

The consecration of the three chariots will be completed by 11 AM.

The ceremonial Pahandi of the deities will begin by 1.10 PM and will be completed by 2.30PM. Thereafter Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb will perform Chherapahanra ceremony at about 4 PM.

The pulling of the three chariots will begin with Taladhwajof Lord Balabhadra followed by Darpadalan of Devi Subhadra and Nadnighosh of lord Jagannath by 5pm.

In 1971 only Taldhawaj of Lord Balabhadra was pulled to a small distance to respect the tradition while the next day all the chariots were pulled to their destination. The same may be repeated this year.

Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb presided over the Managing Committee meeting while Temple chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav presented the Chhatisha nijog proposals beginning from rath yatra, Bahuda, Sunavesha and Niladri Bije.

The meeting after discussions approved the festival schedule.