68 platoons police and SOP for servitors

BHUBANESWAR/PURI: As a mammoth gathering of devotees is expected in Puri for the Trinity’s Snana Purnima, the temple and district administration besides police have put in all measures in place to ensure the bathing ceremony and Hati Besha of the deities are conducted smoothly.

While at least 68 platoons of police force would be deployed to manage the crowd, four SP rank officers, 12 ASP rank officers and 22 DSP rank officers will oversee the security arrangements and devotees’ movement. Police have also issued a helpline number 6370-967-100 for devotees requiring any assistance. Similarly, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has released an SOP for the servitors for conduct of all the rituals.

As per the Snana Purnima schedule, the deities will be taken out of the sanctum sanctorum in ceremonial ‘pahandi’ to the Snana Mandap from 5 am to 7 am. Similarly, ‘jala bije’ and the ritualistic bath will be done from 12.10 pm to 1.45 pm and Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb will perform the ‘Chhera Pahanra’ at 3 pm. Subsequently, the servitors will begin dressing up the Trinity in Hati Besha 3.40 pm onwards and Sahana Mela (public darshan) of the deities in the attire will be held from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm. The deities will be taken into the Anasar Ghara of the temple where they would recline to the sick bed for a fortnight, after suffering from fever due to the bath with 108 pitchers of aromatic water.

In its SOP, the SJTA has asked the Daitapati and Pratihari servitors to ensure no persons or servitors other than those related to ‘pahandi’ ritual are present inside the Garbha Gruha and Natyamandap while bringing the deities out to the Snana mandap. Entry of devotees, who want to see the deities during Pahandi, into the Shree Jagannath temple will be restricted to only the Singha Dwara or Lions Gate, while they would be allowed to exit through Uttara, Paschima and Dakhina Dwara on the day. Besides, the temple administration has asked Daitapatis to ensure no devotees touch the deities during ‘pahandi’.

To ensure devotees get to see the Trinity clearly on the Snana Mandap, the SJTA has directed for a minimal number of servitors to be present on the bathing altar after the rituals are over. Besides, it has entrusted the Badagrahi and Daitapati servitors to ensure that no servitor leans on the idols of the Trinity. Daitapatis can stand on both sides of the idols. Traffic regulations have also been put in place in Puri, on the occasion.