Bhubaneswar, 17 April (H.S.): Public darshan at the Jagannath Temple was temporarily suspended on Friday morning following the detection of blood drops near the Bhitara Katha (inner chamber) area.

The incident came to light shortly after the Mangala Alati ritual in the early hours. Servitors promptly alerted the temple administration and senior priests, after which it was decided to conduct the ‘Bada Mahasnana’—a grand purification ritual of the sibling deities—to restore the sanctity of the sanctum sanctorum.

As per protocol, general public entry for darshan inside the temple was halted for a brief period. During the ritual, access was strictly limited to a few authorised servitors, as the ceremony is conducted under ‘Gupta Niti’, a confidential and traditional practice of the temple.

Following the completion of the purification rites, normal darshan resumed. The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration confirmed that all rituals were carried out in accordance with the age-old traditions of the Srimandir.

Notably, ‘Bada Mahasnana’ is performed in situations where any form of impurity—such as blood stains, vomiting, or death of a human or animal—occurs within the temple premises, necessitating ceremonial purification.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda