Bhubaneswar, July 19: Thousands of devotees visited the Gundicha Temple in Puri on Sunday to offer prayers on the fourth day of the nine-day Rath Yatra festival, as authorities enforced extensive security and crowd management measures to ensure smooth darshan.

Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and the Sudarshan Chakra are currently residing at the Gundicha Temple, drawing a steady stream of devotees from across the state and beyond.

Dr. Satyajit Naik, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Central Range, said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to handle the heavy footfall. The temple premises have been divided into eight sectors, with Commandant-rank officers supervising operations round the clock.

Dr. Naik said police personnel have been deployed to regulate queues, prevent reverse movement and queue-jumping, manage barricades, and ensure orderly movement of devotees. Separate entry and exit routes have also been created outside the temple to facilitate hassle-free darshan and ease congestion.

The 2026 Rath Yatra has so far passed off peacefully despite persistent rain and adverse weather conditions. According to the Odisha Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), nearly 8 to 9 lakh devotees from Odisha, other parts of India and abroad participated in the grand festival. All major rituals, including the pulling of the three chariots, were completed on schedule.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Gobardhan Peeth also visited the chariots and offered prayers to the deities during the festival.

The state government said multiple departments, including Police, Health, Fire Services, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Transport, Municipal Administration, Public Health and Energy, coordinated to ensure the event's smooth conduct.

Authorities also arranged round-the-clock monitoring, CCTV surveillance, public address systems, traffic regulation, sanitation, drinking water facilities and emergency medical services to provide a safe and comfortable experience for devotees.

The annual Rath Yatra is one of India's largest religious festivals, attracting millions of devotees who gather to witness and participate in the centuries-old tradition of pulling the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, reflecting the spirit of faith, devotion and inclusivity.