Thousands at Jagannath temple, repair work on, tight security

By A Staff Reporter 

Braving extreme heat, thousands of devotees queued up since early morning in front of the Jagannath temple in Puri. With majority from the state of West Bengal, the devotees prayed to Lord Jagannath on the first day of the Bengali new year. Intense repair work is being carried out around the temple premises narrowing down the road and entry points. Hundreds of police personnel have been posted to maintain crowd and ensure security. The temple gate opened a little past 6.30 AM but by then thousands had lined up to pray and seek blessings.