Puri Srimandir / Puri Jagannath Temple Natamandap Air-Conditioned; IIT Bhubaneswar To Plan Darshan System

Puri, Jul 30: A new chapter has been added to the darshan arrangements at the 12th-century Shree Jagannatha Temple in Puri, with the Natamandap now equipped with a modern Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) cooling system. The trial run began yesterday, offering devotees relief from heat and congestion during peak hours, officials said on Thursday.

The Natamandap, or Nata Mandap, is the temple’s traditional festive dancing and performance hall, positioned between the Jagamohana (audience hall) and the Bhoga Mandap (offering hall). Built in the distinct Kalinga architectural style, it has long functioned as a sacred platform for ritual performances and major religious assemblies.

The decision to air-condition this space reflects the temple administration’s effort to blend heritage with modern technology.

Installed at a cost of Rs73.44 lakh, the VRF system consumes 30 per cent less electricity compared to conventional air-conditioning. It is designed to ease congestion and provide comfort to devotees who often face suffocation during weekends and holidays when footfall surges into lakhs, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) officials said.

Puri Collector and Deputy Chief Administrator of the SJTA, Dibyajyoti Parida, said necessary modifications would be made based on feedback from servitors, adding that the system will ensure smoother darshan arrangements while reducing energy costs.

Devotees have welcomed the move, noting that the cooling system will make darshan more comfortable. Servitors too acknowledged the importance of air-conditioning in the Natamandap, given the heavy rush during festive and holiday periods.
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The SJTA has also entrusted IIT Bhubaneswar with preparing the drawing and design for a streamlined darshan arrangement, which will be implemented soon to further improve crowd management.

The initiative underscores the temple administration’s focus on combining tradition with modern technology to ensure safety, comfort and devotion at one of India’s most revered shrines.