Puri, Nov 2 (UDN): Devotees visiting the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will have to wait for three hours on Monday as public darshan will remain suspended from 4 pm to 7 pm due to the observance of the traditional Diba Pahuda ritual during the holy month of Kartika.
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The temporary suspension of darshan is part of the temple’s scheduled rituals and will allow the servitors to perform the special religious observance. During this period, devotees will not be permitted to have darshan of the sibling deities inside the sanctum sanctorum.
What Is Diba Pahuda?
Diba Pahuda is a special ritual observed at the Srimandir during the sacred month of Kartika. The ritual is associated with the daytime rest of Lord Jagannath.
During Kartika, the daily routine of the deities undergoes certain changes in accordance with traditional temple practices. As the deities wake up earlier and retire later than usual, the Pahuda ritual, generally performed at night, is observed during the daytime.
The three-hour suspension of public darshan is therefore necessary to facilitate the smooth conduct of the ritual.
Evening Rituals To Resume After Darshan Break
Following the completion of Diba Pahuda, the temple’s regular evening rituals, including Sandhya Alati and Sandhya Dhupa, will be performed as per the prescribed schedule.
Public darshan is scheduled to resume after the ritual concludes at 7 pm.
Puri Sees Influx Of Habishyalis During Kartika
Meanwhile, the holy month of Kartika has brought a large number of women devotees, popularly known as Habishyalis, to the pilgrim town of Puri.
These widowed women visit the holy city to observe the month-long Habisha Brata, undertaking religious austerities, prayers and traditional rituals.
Considering the seasonal influx of devotees, the Puri district administration and police have made special arrangements for security and accommodation to ensure the smooth observance of Kartika Brata.
Devotees planning to visit Srimandir have been advised to take note of the temporary darshan suspension and schedule their temple visits accordingly.
