Odisha: Shree Jagannatha Temple to reopen for devotees from August 16

Puri/Bhubaneswar: Wait for devotees to pay obeisance to the deities of the Shree Jagannatha Temple in Puri is over as the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) today decided to reopen the temple for them from August 16.

Following a meeting between SJTA officials and Chhatisa Nijog, the Chief Administrator of the temple administration informed residents of Puri town will be permitted to pay obeisance during initial five days from August 16 i.e. Monday.

People from outside Puri town will be able to visit the temple from August 23. The temple will remain open for devotees from 7 AM to 8 PM.

He, however, added devotees coming to the temple will have to produce either a final vaccination certificate or negative report of RTPCR test done 96 hours prior to the visit.

Kumar further informed Covid test of servitors, officials and other participants of the Ratha Jatra this year will be carroed out from August 8. Besides, door-to-door campaign will be launched for vaccination of sevaks, their families and officials.

On weekends the temple will remain closed for sanitization purpose. Similarly, days like Janmastami when the number of devotees will be more than usual the temple will remain closed, he added.

‘Mahaprasad Sevan’ on the temple premises will not be allowed as well for the time being, the SJTA Chief Administrator added.

Worth mentioning, the SJTA had decided to stop ‘ public darshan’ at the temple due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

But the State government on July 31 had said the SJTA will take a decision on reopening of the temple after holding talks with stakeholders.

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