Puri, June 29 (UDN): The holy city of Puri witnessed an unprecedented surge of devotees on the occasion of Deva Snana Purnima, as lakhs of pilgrims thronged Srikshetra to witness the sacred Snana Yatra of Lord Jagannath and the sibling deities.
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The influx of devotees turned the Grand Road and surrounding areas into a sea of humanity, with devotees packed shoulder to shoulder. The crowd density was so high that movement became extremely difficult, with pilgrims finding it challenging to move ahead or navigate through the congregation.
Devotees from different parts of Odisha and across the country gathered in large numbers to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath during the auspicious occasion. The spiritual fervour and devotion among the pilgrims were palpable as chants of “Jai Jagannath” reverberated throughout the temple town.
In view of the massive turnout, elaborate security and crowd management arrangements were put in place by the district administration and police to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival and the safety of devotees.
The annual Deva Snana Purnima marks the ceremonial bathing festival of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan, and heralds the beginning of the Rath Yatra festivities.