Bhubaneswar: The Marichi Kunda water, revered for its sacred properties, was auctioned for Rs 7001 at the Mukteswar Temple premises before the commencement of the Rukuna Rath Yatra.
According to reports, Barmunda Housing Board’s Jitendra Biswal secured the first bid. The auction faced challenges this year with fewer devotees participating, unlike previous years where bidding was competitive.
The government initially set a reserve price of Rs 15,000. Last year, the auction was finalised at Rs 11,000 due to lack of interest among devotees, while this year the first pot was auctioned at Rs 7001 while the second and third were unclaimed.
