Jagannath Temple Parikrama To Be Inaugurated Tomorrow, All About Odisha's Ambitious Project

The Odisha government is all set to launch one of its most ambitious Shree Mandira Parikrama Project on January 17 under which it is planning to mobilise over 10,000 devotees to Puri Jagannath Temple every day for a month.

According to an Indian Express report, the government will also inaugurate an Rs 800-crore heritage corridor around Puri’s renowned temple as a part of the project.

For this purpose, the Odisha government led by Naveen Patnaik directed the administration to ensure the smooth movement of devotees from every panchayat and civic body to Puri from January 22.

A special fund has been allocated for the project, the publication reported.

Special Buses and Accommodation for Devotees

The Odisha government directed the district collectors to make requisitions for an adequate number of buses for the devotees to commute to the temple while elaborate plans have been made at the transit camps for their comfortable stay.

Every district will appoint a nodal officer for the overall coordination of the exercise, while every district will set up a control room for monitoring, the report added.

A 4.5-metre-wide dedicated shuttle-cum-emergency lane for any kind of emergency and disaster management has also been built.

Security Arrangements

For the security arrangement, the Parikrama project, a 75-metre free passage built around the outer walls (Meghanada Pacheri) of the shrine was built to ensure security in the temple and provide basic civic amenities to the devotees. It has been developed with an investment of Rs 800 crore.

Odisha Director-General of Police (in-charge) Arun Kumar Sarangi said Puri has been put under a security blanket and around 80 platoons (over 3,000 personnel) have been deployed for the grand opening ceremony at the Jagannath Temple.

Massive arrangements have also been made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for its inauguration on Wednesday, five days before the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya Ram temple.

Patnaik appealed to devotees to dedicate themselves to Mahaprabhu Jagannath as it’s a day of celebration for the Odia community and asked them to join the January 17 celebrations by lighting diyas.

With the countdown for the inauguration of the Rs 800-crore project, also known as the Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa, beginning with the three-day yagna on Makar Sankranti on Monday.

Parikarma Project: All You Need To Know

• A 10-metre inner path has been created around the temple complex for the ceremonial procession of deities.
• A 14-metre Landscape Zone has been built with gardens that have local varieties of trees and shrubs.
• An eight-metre outer path was also built on either side to act as a shaded pathway for visitors/pilgrims.
• A 10-metre Public Convenience Zone with facilities such as restrooms, drinking water fountains, information-cum-donation kiosks, and shelter pavilions for rest.
• A 4.5-metre service lane for access by service vehicles and maintenance of the corridor.
• A 7.5-metre mixed traffic lane to aid in the movement of vehicles around the heritage corridor and to ensure access to properties abutting the outer access road.
• A seven-metre-wide shaded footpath with trees adjacent to the mixed traffic lane for smooth pedestrian flow around the corridor and neighbouring areas.
• Special parking bays for sevaks and temple officials have also been created. fountains, etc.