Puri: Devotees visiting the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri can now seek respite from the sweltering heat and humidity as the Nata Mandap has been fully air-conditioned from Monday, providing a more comfortable environment for darshan, particularly during heavy rush.
The air-conditioning system became fully operational on Monday, addressing a long-standing demand for better facilities for devotees visiting the Nata Mandap. The need for such an arrangement was felt particularly during ‘Bahar Katha Darshan’, when large gatherings often lead to considerable discomfort amid hot and humid weather.
With the facility now operational, devotees visiting the Nata Mandap to have darshan of Lord Jagannath and His siblings will be able to spend time in a relatively cooler and more comfortable environment. The facility is expected to be particularly beneficial during the summer and periods of high humidity.
The initiative has been welcomed by servitors and devotees, who said the facility would provide much-needed relief during crowded occasions. The Nata Mandap witnesses a large congregation of devotees during ‘Bahar Katha Darshan’, making temperature control an important requirement.
Temple authorities, however, have taken necessary precautions to ensure that the air-conditioning system does not adversely affect the Deities, temple rituals or the sanctity of the heritage structure.
The AC system has been installed keeping the temple rituals and heritage conservation requirements in mind. The installation has also been carried out in compliance with guidelines of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the protection of the nationally important heritage structure.
A modern air-conditioning system, including Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology, has been deployed at the Nata Mandap. The facility also comes with a five-year operation and maintenance provision to ensure its continued functioning.
