Puri, Nov 10: The sacred town of Shrikshetra witnessed a massive influx of devotees today on the occasion of the Parikrama Mahotsav, also known as Panchatirtha. Thousands of pilgrims thronged the holy city to take part in the auspicious rituals and circumambulation of the sacred sites.

Devotees began the day with a holy dip in the Tirtharaj Mahodadhi (the Bay of Bengal), followed by visits to various religious shrines across Puri, chanting the Lord’s name in unison. As part of the ritual, pilgrims bathed in the Tirtharaj Pushkarini, offered prayers to the Panchamahadev, and later visited the Shri Jagannath Temple for darshan of the Chaturdha Vigrahas- Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshan-seated on the Ratna Singhasan.

A major attraction of the day was at the Siddha Mahavir Temple, where Lord Mahavir appeared in the Nagarjuna Besha. Devotees were blessed with the rare opportunity to offer prayers and touch the Lord’s feet. From early morning, the temple witnessed a massive turnout of devotees eager to seek divine blessings on this sacred occasion.