Notwithstanding the blistering heat and ongoing heat waves, the designers and painters have also engaged themselves in making the chariots more attractive than earlier years. The designers are devoted towards designing different wooden idols and statues to be affixed around the chariots while the painters in full force are busy colouring them. Despite the sweltering heat and soaring temperature in the coastal city, the sevayats assure to complete the chariot constriction work on time before Netra Utsav.
In a rare sight at Puri, the Grand Road is almost empty and Sri Mandir is far away from the regular crowd. While Lord Jagannath is being ‘treated’ at the solitary place called anasara ghara (sick room), the devotees can however have a darshan of all the deities at Alarnanth in Bramhagiri, 25 km from Puri.