As Panchuka continues, crowds are flooding Puri to see Lord Jagannath, also known as Kalia. The temple administration and police are prioritizing orderly darshan arrangements for devotees. However, after the month of Kartik, the temple will implement a new, disciplined darshan system. Arvind Padhi, chief administrator of Shrimandi, stated that the framework is currently being prepared, though no final decisions have been made.
In a media statement, Padhi emphasized, “Ensuring an orderly darshan system for devotees is our primary responsibility. We are prioritizing how devotees can experience darshan through everyone’s cooperation. The new darshan system will begin after Kartik month, with a new management committee forming at that time. Implementation will follow the Managing Committee and State Government’s approval. While designs are in progress, nothing is finalized yet. After Kartik month, the new management committee will discuss and arrange the system, allowing devotees an even better experience of Kalia darshan.”
Today, on the second day of Panchuka, Mahaprabhu appears in his full form to devotees, as the sounds of “Jai Jagannath” fill Puri Bada Danda. On the 12th Tithi of Kartik Shukla, the sacred procession of the deity seated on the Ratna Throne takes place. Thousands of devotees from across the state gather in Puri for Panchuka. While regular darshan arrangements are in place, the temple will introduce new darshan arrangements after Kartik month.
Puri is witnessing an immense crowd for Kalia darshan during Panchuka. To streamline the darshan process, authorities have set up special barricades and deployed around 38 police platoons. Devotees can only enter the temple through the Lion Gate in designated queues, with the police administration ensuring safety due to the large number of pilgrims.
After the end of the vacation policy, temple servitors, including Pauli, Khuntia, and Changda, adorned Sribighra with Bankachuda attire, portraying him as the flower servant. A unique aspect of this attire is the “khosa” on Jagannath and Balabhadra’s crowns, which includes a “chandraka chula” and a golden “kya khanja” placed in the front. Devotees, thrilled after their long wait in queues, expressed their joy upon finally seeing Lord Jagannath in this special form.