Bhubaneswar, Jan. 1 -- Lakhs of devotees thronged the holy town of Puri on Thursday to usher in the New Year 2026 with the darshan of Lord Jagannath. The pilgrimage city witnessed an unprecedented surge of devotees from the early hours, as people gathered to offer prayers, seek blessings and begin the year on a spiritual note.

The Shree Jagannath Temple opened its gates for devotees at 2 am, allowing early entry into the temple town. To manage the massive crowd, entry was regulated exclusively through the Singhadwar (Lion's Gate), while darshan inside the temple was conducted from the Bahara Katha.

Anticipating heavy footfall, the district administration had made elaborate arrangements along the Bada Danda. Temporary mobile phone and fo...