Devotees Flock for Nabajouban Darshan in Puri; Rath Yatra To Begin Tomorrow Amid Tight Security –

After being out of view for a fortnight, the holy trinity of the Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri in Odisha will make an appearance before devotees in a youthful form during Nabajouban Darshan this morning. Thousands of devotees gathered in a serpentine queue to get a first glimpse of the lords, who appeared to have been unwell after a grand shower on Deba Snan Purnima. The deities have since been receiving treatment in a solitary room within the shrine and have been off-limits to devotees.
Akashvani’s Correspondent reports that the seaside town is fully prepared for the nine-day Rath Yatra, which starts tomorrow. Carpenters are completing the finishing touches on the chariots. This will be a challenging time for the district administration as the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration has banned devotees from touching the deities during pahandi or while on the chariots during this year’s Rath Yatra. The Temple administration has already stated that any touching of the deities by devotees or those in disguise will be considered a cognisable offence. Security has been heightened to manage the increasing crowds and to control traffic.