Devotees at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri were briefly unable to continue with general darshan on Monday morning due to the performance of the ‘Bada Mahasnan’ purification ritual.
The disruption occurred after a young child, overwhelmed by the dense crowd near the Bhitar Katha area, vomited inside the temple premises shortly after the Abakash Puja. In response to the incident, servitors halted public access and initiated the sacred cleansing process known as Bada Mahasnan, a traditional ritual intended to restore sanctity to the temple environment.
The sudden halt led to long queues outside the 12th-century shrine as other rituals were delayed. Many devotees expressed concern but remained understanding, acknowledging the temple’s commitment to preserving ritualistic sanctity.
Darshan resumed after completion of the cleansing ceremony, and temple administration ensured crowd management efforts were in place to avoid further disruptions.
This incident underscores the importance of health and safety protocols, especially during peak pilgrim footfall in one of Odisha’s most revered temples.
