Bhubaneswar: The govt on Thursday said comprehensive arrangements were in place for the smooth conduct of Bahuda Yatra in Puri on Friday. For Odisha police, the return car festival is considered less challenging than Saturday’s Suna Besha, when the sibling deities will be adorned with gold ornaments and a million‑strong crowd is expected.The Bahuda Yatra marks the return of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra from Gundicha temple, their birthplace, where they arrived during the Rath Yatra on July 16. Their final entry into the sanctum sanctorum of Jagannath temple is scheduled for July 27 on the occasion of Niladri Bije.“All arrangements are in place. With heavy rain forecast, the administration has readied dewatering pumps and other logistics. Police have made adequate security and crowd control measures. By Lord Jagannath’s blessings, Bahuda and Suna Besha will be conducted smoothly,” law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said.Senior IPS officer Saumendra Priyadarsi, in charge of overall security, noted that Bahuda traditionally draws fewer devotees than Rath Yatra. “We anticipate less crowd on Bahuda, but Suna Besha is a real challenge as over a million devotees are expected on Saturday. Bahuda is not a challenge, yet nothing has been left to chance. As per govt directive, there is no compromise on security, traffic and crowd management,” Priyadarsi said.ADG Amitabh Thakur and DIG Kanwar Vishal Singh, overseeing traffic, said at least 30 parking lots have been earmarked to accommodate 8,500 four‑wheelers, 30,000 two‑wheelers and 800 buses. Police have urged devotees to follow real‑time traffic updates.“We request motorists not to argue with personnel at diversion points, which can trigger jams and inconvenience others,” Thakur said. Singh added that traffic inflow, outflow and parking lots will be closely monitored through cameras and drones.The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has held a series of meetings with servitors to ensure timely completion of rituals. The Pahandi of the deities will begin at 12 noon, with the idols being escorted from Gundicha temple to the chariots amid musical processions, and conclude around 2.30 pm.Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb will perform the hereditary Chhera Pahanra ritual between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm, followed by the chariot‑pulling ceremony around 4 pm.On Thursday, large crowds thronged Gundicha temple for Sandhya Darshan. “There is a belief that darshan of the deities at Gundicha temple on Sandhya Darshan brings divine bliss. I cannot express my feelings,” said Padmaja Samantaray, a devotee from Dhenkanal.Some devotees broke down in tears after being denied a glimpse of the deities when the darshan facility shut at 6 pm. “We queued up at 4.30 pm. Just as we reached the Gundicha temple entrance, the authorities announced closure of darshan at 6 pm,” said Abhinav Mohanty of Rourkela.
