Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri district to open for public visit on July 25: Authorities
In view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the famed Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri will remain closed for the public darshan till July 25.
Puri Jagannath Temple | Photo Credit: Twitter
Key Highlights
- Puri's Shree Jagannath temple to open for public visit on July 25
- The Temple remained closed since May due to second wave of the coronavirus pandemic
- It will open for public darshan two days after the completion of the Ratha Jatra festival: SJTA
Puri, Odisha: The Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri district, which was closed in May due to the coronavirus pandemic, will open its doors for devotees on July 25, according to the authorities.
Chief Administrator at the temple, Krishan Kumar on Wednesday informed that the decision to keep the temple closed till July 25 was taken at a meeting of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) The temple was out of bounds for the devotees till June 15, which was further extended till July 25, he said.
According to the Temple authorities, it will open for public darshan two days after the completion of the Ratha Jatra festival. The nine-day long annual sojourn of Lord Jagannath and His sibling deities to Mausi Maa Temple will be followed by the Suna Besha and Niladri Bije on July 23, the homecoming of the deities to the shrine.
"The devotees will get an opportunity to enter the temple two days later," PTI quoted Kumar as saying. However, the SJTA will meet again on July 24 or 25 and decide on allowing the public, depending on the prevailing situation, he added.
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'Ratha Jatra without devotees this time'
As per the decision of the Odisha government, the Snan Jatra (bathing festival) on June 24 and Ratha Jatra on July 12 will be held without devotees with adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines.
According to the temple authorities, the Ratha Jatra will be held with the participation of servitors in presence of security personnel. The servitors, participating in the festival, will have to produce a COVID-negative report or certificate of both doses of the vaccination, Kumar said.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Samarth Verma has said that prohibitory orders will be clamped in Puri during the festival. In a separate meeting, the SJTA also decided to set up two committees - one technical and another representing the servitors - for silver cladding of eight doors at the Jagannath temple.