The stage is set for the Bahuda Yatra as the Holy Trinity—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra—will return from the Gundicha Temple to the Ratna Singhasan of the Shree Jagannath Temple on Bahuda Dashami on Thursday.
Thousands of devotees thronged the Gundicha Temple on Wednesday for the final Adapa Mandap Darshan, also known as the Nabami Sandhya Darshan. The district administration has allowed public darshan from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm, while elaborate security and crowd management arrangements have been put in place to handle the heavy influx of pilgrims.
Darshan Begins at 5 AM
The temple doors opened at 5:00 am after the previous night’s rituals concluded late, with the deities retiring for the night around 1:30 am due to delays in rituals.
According to the ritual schedule, Mangala Alati was performed at 5:30 am, followed by Abakash at 6:40 am. The Gopal Ballav and Sakala Dhupa rituals were completed by 10:00 am, after which devotees continued to have darshan throughout the day.
Police Advise Devotees to Follow Traffic Guidelines
Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh said the darshan arrangements are proceeding smoothly under strict security.
He said devotees will be allowed to have darshan till 6:00 pm and that extensive security arrangements have been made both inside and outside the Gundicha Temple. The city remains on high alert ahead of Thursday’s Bahuda Yatra. He also appealed to devotees visiting Puri for Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha to strictly follow the traffic advisory issued by the administration.
Significance of Adapa Mandap Darshan
The Adapa Mandap Darshan holds immense religious significance in Jagannath tradition. It is believed that offering prayers to the deities at the Adapa Mandap of the Gundicha Temple for a single day bestows the same spiritual merit as worshipping them at the Shree Jagannath Temple throughout the year.
With Wednesday being the final opportunity for Adapa Darshan before the return journey, the Gundicha Temple witnessed an unprecedented rush of devotees.
Bahuda Yatra Ritual Schedule
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration has also released the ritual schedule for Bahuda Yatra:
| Ritual | Time |
|---|---|
| Mangala Alati | 4:00 am |
| Mailam | 4:15 am |
| Tadap Lagi & Rosha Homa | 4:30 am |
| Abakash | 5:00 am |
| Surya Puja | 5:15 am |
| Dwarapala Puja & Besa Completion | 5:30 am |
| Gopal Ballav & Sakala Dhupa | 5:45 am – 6:45 am |
| Senapata Lagi | 7:00 am – 11:30 am |
| Mangalarpana | 11:45 am |
| Bahuda Pahandi | 12:00 noon – 2:30 pm |
| Besa Completion | 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm |
| Gajapati Maharaja’s Chhera Pahanra | 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm |
| Charamala Opening & Horses Fixed to Chariots | 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm |
| Chariot Pulling Begins | 4:00 pm |
The return car festival is expected to draw lakhs of devotees to Puri as the deities begin their journey back to the Shree Jagannath Temple amid elaborate rituals, heightened security and extensive traffic arrangements.