Puri: Devotees in thousands from across Odisha and elsewhere thronged to the Gopinath Temple at Sakhigopal in Puri district on the auspicious occasion of Anla Navami today to have Radha Pada Darshan (have a glimpse of the feet of Goddess Radha).
Devotees were seen standing in serpentine queues outside the temple from early dawn to have Radha Pada Darshan.
During the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, devotees were barred from having Radha Pada Darshan.
On Anla Navami at Sakshigopal temple Goddess Radha is dressed up (decorated) in true Odiyani Besha with her lotus feet visible so that devotees can have a darshan of her feet.
Anla Navami is the only occasion in a calendar year when devotees can have darshan of the feet of Goddess Radha. On this day, Lord Krishna is dressed in Natabar besha.
It is believed that Radha Pada Darshan leads to moksha (salvation). Therefore, lakhs of devotees from all over Odisha gather at Sakshigopal for the unique darshan.
Puri district administration has made elaborate arrangements for smooth and incident-free ‘Radha Pada Darshan’ by devotees.
Barricades have been put up for devotees to maintain queues for having darshan, special emphasis has been laid on the provision of drinking water and parking facilities.
As many as 20 platoons of police force have been deployed for the event. Two Additional SPs have been camping at Sakshigopal round-the clock and 50 more police officers have been deployed.
While the temple door was opened at 1.00 AM in the night as per the schedule fixed earlier, Mangala Alati was performed at 1.30 AM. Between 1.30 AM to 3.00 AM Goddess Radha was dressed in Odiyani Besha while Lord Krishna was dressed in Natabar Besha.
Temple employees and sevayats were the first to have a glimpse of the feet of Goddess Radha at around 5 PM and the temple was opened for the general public for the special darshan from 6.00 AM.
Radha Pada Darshan will continue till 11.00 PM in the night with breaks in between for the conduct of certain routine rituals, temple sources informed.
However, devotees have been barred from touching Goddess Radha’s feet.
