Puri: With only few days left for the dedication of Srimandir Parikrama Project, the entire State Administration is busy in preparations to make it a memorable event in the history of Odisha.
Chief Minister Naven Patnaik will dedicate the Sri Mandir Parikrama Project for devotees on January 17 amidst chanting of Vedic hymns at all four gates of the Srimandir.
Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena along with Senior Mandarins reached here to take stock of arrangements.
While invitations are being given to all major presiding deities in Odisha, India and also aboard, various measures are being taken at the ground level here.
Various arterial roads of the town are being illuminated with decorative lights while roads were being repaired and widened for the purpose.
Chief Administrator Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), Ranjan Kumar Das said priests from sixty important Shrines of the country will be the guests on the occasion. Sankaracharyas of all four Dhamas are expected to grace the ceremony. The Nepal king may also attend the function, he informed.
Rituals for the event were finalised at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of Gajapati Dibyasingh Dev on Thursday.
About one hundred Brahmins will perform Sankeertan around the temple parikrama creating a spiritual atmosphere. In consultation with Rajguru, it is determined that the three-day Yajna will be organised on the Aishany Kona at 7am of January 15 and 108 Sotriya Bramhins will perform the Yajna, officials said.
Meanwhile, collection of betel nut and a handful of rice from all households for the inaugural ceremony of Shree Mandir Parikrama Project will began from January 6 and continue till January 15.
In every Panchayat special programs will be arranged by the Government for this purpose. A Ratha with light and sound accompanied by Kirtan Mandalis will move from house to house in every village of the Panchayat for collection of rice and betelnut.
The offerings collected will be kept in one of the temples of the GP. There shall be Prasad Sevan for the Kirtan Mandalis and devotees at the GP under the supervision of GP & block level officials. After completion of the Jagannath Yatra at GP Level, all the offerings collected shall be brought to the Block level temple. The temple shall be well decorated. Prasad Sevan shall be arranged for the devotees. Local public representatives will participate in the program. Later, it will be sent to Puri and used on January 17.
On January 12, the Gajapati as per the convention will hand over holy Betel to 108 Brahmins as mark of entrustment to conduct the Yajna. The process for yajna will begin with Ankurapon from January 12 to comply with other pre-requirements for the grand yajna.
As per tradition Gajapati will be the Karta of the holy Yajna and offer Purnahuti on the final and concluding of Yajna on January 17 noon in presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Gajapati insisted that servitors should perform daily rituals of the deities as per the prescribed time schedule.
Puri District Collector Samarth Verma said large screens will be put on display at all panchayat headquarters to enable devotees to witness the day’s proceedings and the inauguration ceremony live.
On the other hand, work in the Parikrama project is in steady progress and nearing completion, informed PK Panigrahi, the nodal officer of the Project.
The Administration has opened a new road from the Jagannath Ballav multi-level vehicle parking lot to Dolabedi kona. The 50 feet wide and about one km long road named as Sri Danda has been carved out on war footing by demolishing a number of buildings to facilitate smooth flow of devotees from the parking lot to the Singhadwar and return.
The unique Trumpet bridge (Sri Setu) has been aligned with the multilevel parking tower. This five km special road has been constructed to facilitate smooth management of devotees.
This apart the road at the headquarter hospital square has been four laned and administration is giving a face lift to the abode of lord Jagannath to observe the inauguration of Sri Mandir Parikrama in a grand manner.