Puri, 10th Oct 2025: This year, over 10,000 women devotees known as Habishyalis have already arrived in Puri to observe the Kartika month rituals. Apart from staying in government camps, many are also staying in mutts, dharmashalas, and rented houses. During the upcoming Panchuka period, the number of Habishyalis is expected to exceed 50,000. On November 5, a large number of devotees will observe the Kartik Purnima ritual of boat-floating (Boita Bandana), attracting lakhs of pilgrims.
However, despite such large crowds, the administration has not taken adequate on-ground measures to ensure safe bathing facilities at various sacred ponds (tirtha pushkarinis).
In places like Narendra Pushkarini, only temporary bamboo barricades have been erected in limited areas. Despite crores of rupees being spent on developing these sacred water bodies, there is still no permanent safety infrastructure like guard rails or the deployment of lifeguards. In fact, bamboo fences worth over ₹4.5 lakh seem to have been set up only for optics.
Particularly at the left bank of Narendra pond’s Chakada Ghat, the bathing area is very risky, with only three steps and no proper staircase. People suddenly step into deep water, raising serious safety concerns. The bamboo barricades offer little actual protection.
Key Issues Faced by Devotees:
No bamboo support or lifeguards for Habishyalis
Pilgrims often go hungry or half-fed due to high food prices
No regulation on food prices—rice meals being sold at exorbitant rates
Frequent stampedes and accidents during bath due to lack of crowd control
During bathing, several pilgrims have lost their lives in the past, yet the administration continues to ignore the issue. On Wednesday, a group of Habishyalis from Byabati Nivas had to push past security guards to take a dip in Narendra Pushkarini, drawing public attention.
Despite the massive inflow of pilgrims, there is still no structured darshan system inside the Jagannath Temple and no affordable or sufficient food arrangements. As a result, devotees visiting the temple during Kartik month are being pushed and shoved while trying to get a glimpse of the deity.
At some locations, food vendors are charging ₹200–₹250 per plate for meals, while others around Ananda Bazaar sell meals for ₹100–₹150. Even then, food quantities are insufficient. When devotees ask for more, they are denied. Because of exorbitant food costs, many devotees are forced to leave with half-empty stomachs.
Many devotees and Habishyalis have expressed dissatisfaction, demanding:
Proper crowd management for darshan
Affordable and hygienic meals
Fixed food prices to prevent exploitation
So far, no uniform pricing has been implemented for basic meals like rice, dal, and vegetables. This has led to the exploitation of pilgrims. Donation counters too are reportedly being managed without regulation, with unsystematic queues and setups.
The Supreme Court’s directives for orderly darshan and management appear to have been ignored by the local administration.
Some Improvements:
This time, in an effort to prevent unfortunate incidents involving elderly Habishyalis, the administration has arranged for special measures both inside and outside the temple. If a Habishyali reaches the Singha Dwara (Lion’s Gate) or Police Feed-Back Center, and seeks help, she is provided initial assistance to safely enter the temple. Inside, a second layer of security helps manage the crowd, allowing Habishyalis to reach the Ghanti Dwara (bell gate), where grouped and orderly darshan is facilitated.
Additionally, Habishyalis are being transported from their camps to the temple in dedicated buses, helping them experience a more organized darshan system. These efforts offer some reassurance regarding administrative readiness.
Call from Temple Priests:
Senior servitor and temple priest Biswajit Mahapatra stated that immediate arrangements should be made to ensure orderly darshan inside the temple, especially considering the increasing number of pilgrims. He emphasized the need for a push-free darshan experience, and urged the administration to ensure affordable and wholesome meals for devotees.
For holy bathing, he demanded permanent safety arrangements, lighting, clean drinking water, and toilets near all major ponds and at the sea (Mahodadhi) to safeguard the pilgrims’ lives.
—
Summary:
The lack of basic facilities for holy bathing and affordable food, alongside crowd mismanagement, has raised serious concerns among devotees and Habishyalis in Puri during Kartik month. While the administration has made some improvements, especially for Habishyali movement and darshan, the overall scenario still falls short of expectations, calling for immediate attention and sustainable solutions.
No responses yet