Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurates Shrimandir Parikrama Project in Puri

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday inaugurated the much-awaited Srimandir Parikrama project in the pilgrimage town of Puri. After the conclusion of the Yagya ritual, the inauguration was done in the presence of Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingh Dev.

The identity of Odisha and its people is strongly linked to Jagannath culture. The people of the state attribute their existence and well-being, progress and prosperity to God.

Odisha is currently going through a cultural transformation never seen before and at the core of this transformation is the Srimandir Heritage Corridor Project also known as Parikrama Prakalpa.

With the launch of the Parikrama project, a spiritual atmosphere has been created in the entire state. Srikshetra has been decorated for this historic event and people from the state and outside have become a part of this history. The entire state is in festive mood to celebrate the revival of the Jagannath cult.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and personal supervision of 5T Chairman Karthik Pandian, Odisha has taken the lead in recording this sacred event in the history books. From villages to cities, people all over the state are celebrating and participating in the event.

The Srimandir Parikrama project involves the development of a 75 meter corridor around the Jagannath Temple with facilities and infrastructure. Various components of the project will include a modern Sri Jagannath Temple Administration Building redevelopment, a 600-capacity Srimandir Welcome Centre, Sri Jagannath Cultural Center including Raghunandan Library, Integrated Command and Control Centre, Baddanda Heritage Landscape, improvements to Srimandir facilities. Shri Danda, AC Tunnel for devotees and many more.

Jagannath Rath traveled across the state and spread the essence of Jagannath culture. This was the most important event related to the inauguration of the Heritage Corridor Project in Puri. People from across the state participated in this ten-day event to connect themselves with the divine activity.

Sankirtan troupes were singing the glory of Lord Jagannath along with the Sri Jagannath parikrama chariot. Along with this, cultural and religious programs related to Shri Jagannath culture have been organized at the Panchayat and Block level before the inauguration of the Parikrama Project to promote, preserve and protect the Jagannath culture and to make the coming generations aware about it. .

Thirteen teams visited holy places in Odisha and handed out invitations to temples like Lingaraja Temple, Maa Samleshwari Temple, Maa Biraja Temple and Taratarini Temple. Another 17 teams visited different cities of the country and invited the temple authorities to witness the most important inauguration of the Jagannath Temple Parikrama Project.

Pashupatinath Temple of Nepal, Meenakshi Temple of Madurai, Tirupati Balaji Temple, Badrinath Dham, Kedarnath Temple, Vaishno Devi Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, Somnath Temple of Gujarat have also been invited to the inaugural programme. The entire country from East to West and from North to South today became witness to that spiritual event, where divinity meets development.

The transformation work being done in Puri will make it a center of pilgrimage. This is one of the most significant developments undertaken in Puri in the last few centuries and this much-needed development will help devotees and pilgrims have a hassle-free darshan of Lord Jagannath and have a divine experience at the most revered holy place in the country.

Due to manifold increase in the number of people in the last few decades, it has become necessary to improve the facilities in the temple. There was a need to create open space around the temple which was also important from security point of view.