Puri, July 20 (UDN): The first Adapa Abadha, the sacred Mahaprasad prepared at the Gundicha Temple during Rath Yatra, was offered to devotees on Sunday as thousands thronged the temple to witness the rare Adapa Darshan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan at the Janmabedi.

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The Gundicha Temple reverberated with chants of devotion as pilgrims from across the country queued up for a glimpse of the deities, who reached the temple a day earlier after completing their ceremonial journey from the Srimandir during the annual Rath Yatra. Devotees believe that offering prayers before the deities at the Adapa Mandap during this period brings immense spiritual blessings.

The distribution of the first Adapa Abadha added to the festive and devotional atmosphere, with devotees considering the sacred Mahaprasad a symbol of divine grace.

To facilitate the Banaka Lagi ritual—a traditional ceremony involving the adornment of the deities—the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) announced that public darshan would remain suspended from 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM. The ritual will commence after the completion of the Bhogamandap offering.

With a significant increase in pilgrim footfall expected during the Adapa Darshan period, temple authorities have strengthened crowd management, security, and queue arrangements to ensure the smooth movement of devotees inside the temple premises.

Meanwhile, the SJTA also carried out the Ganati-Manati (counting and weighing) of ornaments from the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple. Sacred ornaments, including the Rahu Rekha, gold Chita, silver Rasika, and other jewellery used during the deities’ rituals, were counted, weighed, and videographed as part of an official documentation exercise.

SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee said the identification of the ornaments was carried out with the assistance of experts in precious gems and temple jewellery. Ratna Bhandar Inspection Committee Chairman Justice Biswanath Rath stated that the verification process was conducted strictly in accordance with procedures approved by the Odisha Government.

The twin developments—the first Adapa Abadha offering and the Ratna Bhandar verification—marked another significant day in the ongoing Rath Yatra celebrations, drawing both devotees and officials into one of the most sacred phases of Lord Jagannath’s annual sojourn to the Gundicha Temple.