Puri Jagannath Temple: 14 sub-committees formed to streamline operations

In a significant administrative move, Puri Jagannath Temple managing committee approved on Wednesday the pilot implementation of Dhadi Darshan (queue-based darshan) at the shrine’s Natamandap, inner sanctum area, where devotees gather to witness rituals.

Fourteen sub-committees were formed to streamline the temple operations.

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The system is aimed at enhancing crowd management while ensuring that the daily rituals of Lord Jagannath are not delayed, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator, Arabinda Padhee, informed after the managing committee meeting.

To oversee this, a nine-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Puri District Collector. This committee will assess the plan from all angles and hold detailed discussions with relevant stakeholders. Initially, Dhadi Darshan will be implemented on a trial basis, and changes will be incorporated as and when deemed necessary.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has also approved air-conditioning of Natamandap to ensure comfort. In today’s meeting, the managing committee announced the formation of 14 sub-committees, including those focusing on temple security, research, publications, and servitor welfare.

Among the 14 sub-committees, four are statutory, dealing with finance, policy, the Ratna Bhandar (temple treasury), and appeals. Prominent leadership includes Gajapati Maharaja and Girish Chandra Murmu, who is the head of the sub-committee on security. Swift steps are being taken to operationalise the new queue-based darshan arrangement.

“After the Dhadi Darshan is implemented and barricades are in place, the committee will ensure that the new arrangement does not impact the temple rituals in any way. We are going to implement this queue-based system on an experimental basis,” Arabinda Padhee said.

“The committee will submit a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) to SJTA on the Dhadi Darshan system, which will be started soon at Natamandap,” the Chief Administrator added.