Puri, July 15: Ahead of the world-renowned Jagannath Rath Yatra, the ritual of ‘Gundicha Marjan’ was performed at the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha, on Wednesday. A large number of devotees gathered to clean the entire temple complex.
The ‘Gundicha Marjan’ ritual involves cleaning the temporary residence of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra before their arrival. Known as the ‘aunt’s house’ of the deities, the Gundicha Temple transforms into a center of divine energy during the famous Rath Yatra festival, when Lord Jagannath resides there for seven days.
A female devotee who traveled from Rohtak, Haryana, expressed her gratitude, saying, “I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in the ‘Gundicha Marjan’ ritual.”
Another first-time attendee of the Puri Rath Yatra shared her excitement: “It feels wonderful. It’s like having a direct vision of the Lord. The atmosphere here is truly amazing, and the arrangements are good.”
A devotee from Kolkata remarked, “I come to Puri every year for the Jagannath Rath Yatra. The chariot procession is set to take place on Thursday. Millions have gathered here to seek the Lord’s blessings.”
Another visitor added, “It feels great to be here for the darshan of Lord Jagannath. There is a huge crowd of devotees. We have traveled from far away.”
One more devotee stated, “We will have the darshan of Lord Jagannath and receive his blessings. This is very significant, as it is one of the four sacred dham pilgrimages.”
The world-famous Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri will commence on Thursday. In preparation, the three grand chariots—Nandighosh, Taladhwaj, and Darpadalana—are being adorned with colorful fabrics, flowers, and decorations. Final prayers and traditional rituals are being conducted for the chariots. Lord Jagannath will embark on the chariot journey towards his aunt’s Gundicha Temple, with thousands of devotees pulling the ropes to guide the chariots.
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