The Dhabaleswar Peetha, known for its sacred connection with large animals, especially elephants, witnessed a grand gathering of devotees yesterday. Gajavog, an elephant revered for its devotion, has grown close to Baba Dhabaleswar. Throughout the night, devotees flocked to have darshan of Baba Dhabaleswar in his Harihar form, staying awake in reverence .
During the auspicious days of Triodashi and Chaturdashi, the well-known Gajavog and Taran rituals were established near Baba Dhabaleswar’s shrine in Ashtgarh. Here, devotees who had taken vows for Lada Osha and Kartik gathered to fulfill their commitments, celebrating the deity’s divine presence and glory.
Furthermore, last night saw large crowds filling the Dhabaleswar Peetha. At 2 a.m., the temple doors opened, marking the beginning of Mars worship, followed by a sacred bath with 108 pitchers of water. After completing these rituals, devotees proceeded for darshan.
Thousands of devotees stayed awake all night to receive the revered Gajavog and Taran prasad at dawn. To accommodate them, prasad stalls were arranged outside the temple by worshippers, providing easy access. In addition, the police administration ensured peace and order with extensive security measures.
Moreover, a large police force, along with fire brigade and medical teams, was stationed at the river ghats. Both Ashtgarh’s Upazilapal and the Cuttack Rural SP personally supervised the gathering. Devotees patiently passed through barricades in long lines for their turn to see Baba Dhabaleswar.
Meanwhile, in Puri, the third day of Panchuk celebrations at the temple is underway. On this occasion, Lord Jagannath is appearing in his Trivikram form. Thousands of devotees have gathered in Puri from across the state, chanting “Jai Jagannath” as they queue in long lines for darshan, filling the air with devotion and festivity.