Officials inspect ramps to be installed in Puri shrine for new darshan system | Bhubaneswar News

Bhubaneswar: Officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Monday inspected wooden ramps being constructed at a factory in Bhubaneswar as part of the proposed queue darshan system in the 12th-century shrine. The ramp system aims to provide devotees with a better view of the deities while maintaining restrictions on entry into the sanctum sanctorum.SJTA officials said that six lanes or rows of elevated ramps will be installed in the Nata Mandap and Jagamohan areas, directly facing the sanctum sanctorum, where access to devotees is prohibited.Each ramp is 16-ft long and 4-ft wide. The design was carefully planned to raise the eye level of devotees, enabling them to catch a better glimpse of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from a distance.“The ramps are designed with a gradual ascent, beginning at a height of 4 inches and ascending to 8 inches, 12 inches, 16 inches, and finally reaching a peak of 20 inches at the central points before descending again,” an SJTA official said.SJTA officials emphasised that the modification is vital, given the current system in which devotees crowd the Nata Mandap during major festivals, often struggling to see the deities amid chaos and congestion. The stepped design will ensure that devotees walk in queues through the ramps and have an unobstructed view of the deities.Temple authorities believe the new system will streamline crowd management, reduce congestion and enhance the spiritual experience of visitors. SJTA is expected to finalise the installation soon.“Servitor members of the temple managing committee were given a demonstration of the ramp system. A trial run will be conducted in the temple shortly,” said SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee.The planned arrangement will provide dedicated pathways for men, women and senior citizens, with provisions for differently-abled devotees planned for the future. According to the design, all visitors will enter through Sata Pahacha. Women and elderly worshippers will exit via Ghanti Dwara, while male devotees will leave through Garada Dwara after darshan.