BHUBANESWAR, July 6, 2013: First-time visitors to Puri need not worry about searching for streets during Rath Yatra as various government departments have decided to set up help desks and information centres for guiding the devotees.

The Puri district administration would set up information centres at eight locations - Lion's Gate (entrance to Jagannath temple), Town police station, Balagandi, Badasankha, Gundicha temple, Talabania bus stand, railway station and sea beach (Digabareni Square).

"Our volunteers would guide pilgrims about different routes and streets in Puri. Visitors can get magazines on Jagannath and Rath Yatra. In the evening, we will organize cultural programmes, showcasing traditional dance and music of Odisha, at information centres," Puri district information and public relations officer Tapas Kumar Saha said.

East Coast Railway has announced to open three help desks at Puri railway station. "We will set up at least 20 train timetable boards at strategic locations at Puri railway station and other important locations in the town such as Lion's Gate and Bagala dharmasala. Another 12 train indication boards, indicating the schedule of trains, will be put up at a makeshift shed and other locations at Puri," said an ECoR officer.

Jagannath temple administration and Odisha tourism too will come up with help desks for newcomers to Puri. "We will provide visitors city map, hotel names, tariff and locations, shortest routes to preferred destinations and information on traffic arrangements. The devotees can also get information about timing of Rath Yatra rituals at information centres," tourism director Manoranjan Pattnaik said.

Jagannath temple administration has four information centres (railway station, Lion's Gate of Jagannath temple, Gundicha temple, near sea beach). This apart, one information centre exists at Jayadev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. "Pilgrims can get whatever information they want on Rath Yatra from these counters," said temple's public relations officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda.

Like previous years, the mega festival will be webcast live on two websites (www.jagannath.nic.in and www.rathjatra.nic.in) of the temple administration.
 

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 6, 2013.