Lokanath temple flooded ahead of Shravan Somvar

Puri: Devotees at Lokanath Temple here are having harrowing time as the shrine is now flooded with knee-deep water. Sources said water from ‘Parvati Sagar’ tank entered the temple last night causing problems in conduct of daily rituals at the sacred shrine today.

A lot of devotees alleged that they could not pay obeisance to deities today as water gushed into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The ‘Parvati Sagar’ tank located close to the temple has been in spate following heavy rain that lashed the district last month.

‘Gambhira’, ‘Bahara bedha’, ‘Ganesh Mandir’ and ‘Parvati Mandir’ on the premises of the shrine are now waterlogged while the situation is likely to create problems for Kanwariyas from far-flung areas on the occasion of Shravan Somvar tomorrow.

As kanwariyas will throng the Sri Lokanatha Temple from early morning tomorrow, the local administration has installed high-power pumps to flush out water from the shrine.

“It is really unfortunate that the temple is now waterlogged. This will create problems for the devotees to offer water and pray Lord Shiva tomorrow,” said Niranjan Behera, a Kanwariya.

On the other hand, Lokanath Temple Trust Manager, Apachha Kumar Parida informed that five motor pumps have been pressed into service to dewater the shrine.

Puri sub collector, Bhabatarana Sahu is hopeful that situation would improve by tomorrow morning as efforts are on by Fire personnel and municipality staff to drain out water.

“Keeping in view congregation of Kanwariyas at the shrine on occasion of ‘Shravan Somvar’, efforts are on by the administration to resolve such issues. We will also take concrete steps for a permanent solution to such problems,” he added.