Puri, July 22: Favorable weather conditions have led to a significant rise in the number of devotees visiting the Adapa Mandap for the darshan of Lord Jagannath over the past two days. The crowd on Tuesday was reportedly higher compared to Monday, with thousands of devotees arriving to seek the blessings of the deities.

After having darshan, devotees partook of Adapa Abadha (Mahaprasad) and also performed rituals such as Brahmin feeding and donations, praying for the prosperity and well-being of their families.

However, the increasing footfall has also resulted in a sharp rise in expenses for devotees. The price of Mahaprasad has reportedly gone up, with a small plate containing plain rice, dal, besara, mahura and khata costing ₹100. A plate comprising khichdi, dalma, besara, mahura and khata is priced at ₹250.

Devotees seeking darshan from near the Ratna Bedi are required to purchase Paramanik tickets priced at ₹50 per person. Many devotees have been seen standing in long queues inside the courtyard of the Shree Gundicha Temple after purchasing these tickets.

For families visiting the temple, the cost of a full meal of Mahaprasad can reach nearly ₹1,000, while packing Mahaprasad to take home may require an additional expenditure of around ₹1,000. Expenses related to Brahmin feeding and donations can add another ₹200–₹300 to the total cost.

The rising expenses have become a concern for economically weaker devotees. While middle-class families are managing the additional costs, many poor devotees are finding it difficult to afford Mahaprasad and special darshan facilities. Several devotees are reportedly returning home after only tasting Adapa Abadha, while some are depending on free food distribution centres at the bus stand and other locations to meet their food needs.

Despite repeated concerns from devotees, no special arrangement has reportedly been made by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration or the government to provide Mahaprasad at affordable rates for all sections of devotees.

Madan Behera from Balasore, who visited Puri with his family, shared his experience, saying he had brought ₹500 for the trip. After spending money on train fare and ₹200 on Mahaprasad, he was left with little money after buying a toy for his children from Shradha Bali. With no funds remaining for food, his family had to depend on a free food distribution centre near the bus stand.

Madan urged the administration to introduce a low-cost Mahaprasad meal system so that devotees from all financial backgrounds can have access to the sacred offering of Lord Jagannath.