Thousands of people thronged the ‘Harmandir Sahib’, also popularly known as the Golden Temple, in Amritsar and Sri Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha yesterday to offer prayers on the first day of the New Year.
The rush of devotees started on Saturday evening.
With the dawn of the first day of the New Year, thousands could be seen queued up to offer prayers at the holiest of the Sikh shrines.
“The whole shrine complex was bustling with people. It was a unique atmosphere all around. This was one of the biggest crowds that we have seen in recent years,” Harvinder Singh, a local resident who offers prayers at the Golden Temple on New Year’s day every year, said.
The outer area of the complex was renovated and beautified recently, and people visiting the Golden Temple enjoyed that too.
“The new parking was jammed with vehicles. We had to park our car at some distance and walk to get into the shrine. Here also, it was full of people,” another visitor, Simrat Kaur, said.
In Puri, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was among the thousands to visit Sri Jagannath Temple.
“Hearty greetings for a joyous, peaceful and healthy new year. May 2017 motivate us to work more committed for progress and prosperity of Odisha,” Patnaik. tweeted later.
Visitors also crowded the Chandrabhaga beach and Konark temple to get a glimpse of the sunrise on the first day of 2017.
Other places in Odisha, especially tourist spots, were packed with picnickers.
Renowned artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a sand sculpture of Lord Jagannath at the Puri beach to welcome 2017.