3 lakh visit Jagannath temple in Digha for Rath Yatra festival: ISKCON

Digha: An estimated three lakh devotees visited the new Jagannath temple in Digha on the day of Rath Yatra and the preceding day, a senior ISKCON monk said.

International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Vice-President Radharaman Das also told PTI that 70,000-1 lakh people are likely to visit the temple every day till the 'Ulto Rath' (return car festival) on July 4.

ISKCON is entrusted with the job of performing the rituals and puja of the deities - Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev and Devi Subhadra - in the Digha temple.

"Altogether three lakh pilgrims visited the temple premises on the two days of Netrotsav (the day of the deities getting vision)," Das said on Saturday.

Asked about the expected turnout of pilgrims in the coming week till 'Ulto Rath', he said, "We are anticipating 70,000-1 lakh devotees on an average every day."

People are visiting the temple and their number has been steady every day despite intermittent rains, the monk said.

All rituals are being performed before the deities now stationed at another temple, considered their aunt's place, which is around 750 metres from the main shrine, he said.

Around 33 lakh people had visited the temple since its inauguration on April 30, Das said.

A Digha Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) official said, "The seaside resort has also turned into a religious tourism hub in West Bengal. We expect the turnout to be higher by next year."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the temple in Digha in April.