Odisha: Shree Lingaraj Temple to reopen for devotees from Sept 1

Bhubaneswar: Wait is over for devotees eager to pay obeisance to Lord Lingaraj as the Lingaraj Trust Board today decided to reopen the 11th century shrine for them from September 1.

During a meeting chaired by Khordha District Collector Sanat kumar Mohanty, a decision was taken to allow reopen the Shree Linagarj Temple amid the Covid guidelines issued by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Devotees will not be allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum or ‘Garbha Griha’ of the temple. As per the decision, visitors, who received double dose of Covid vaccine and will produce the vaccination certificate, will be permitted to visit the shrine.

Official sources said they will pay obeisance to the Lord near the ‘Aadapa Kaatha’. Social distance and use of mask and sanitiser will be mandatory for the devotees inside the temple premises.

If anyone violates the Covid protocol, the concerned person will face stringent action.

As per another decision taken at the meeting, silver ‘Prabha’ for Shree Chandrasekhar, Maa Bhubaneswari and Maa Parbati will be built. The temple trust board also thanked Shiba Prasad Panda from Bhubaneswar for sponsoring the silver work of the ‘Prabha’ of the deities.

Besides, the temple trust board approved a proposal submitted by the SOA University to bear the expenses for construction of new ‘Bimana’ and palanquin of the Lord and Goddesses.