Puri residents to have darshan at Srimandir from tomorrow

Puri: Residents of Puri will be allowed to have darshan of deities at the Shree Jagannath Temple here from tomorrow. The temple was closed for around 9 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened on December 23. During the first three days, only the family members of the servitors were permitted for darshan.

Puri residents will be allowed for darshan from 26.12.2020 to 31.12.2020 (5 PM). The temple will remain closed on 01.01.2021 and 02.01.2021 to avoid any possibility of spike in transmission of COVID-19 as huge congregation is expected on the occasion of new year. From 03.01.2021, all devotees will be allowed inside the temple for darshan.

The district administration has prepared a ward-wise schedule for the people of Puri for the darshan of the deities. People of the following wards will be allowed to have darshan as per the dates and shifts mentioned:

Guidelines for residents of Puri Municipality:

* Queue system will open from 07.00 AM at Market Chhak.

* Residents are required to bring with them the token provided, along with the Aadhaar Card/Voter ID Card of all the members of the family who are visiting the temple.

* Residents will make entry through the barricade from Market Chhak till Jagannath Temple office; leave their belongings at the designated place outside the temple; produce their ID proof for verification and follow the COVID-19 guidelines of hand sanitization and thermal screening before entering into the temple.

* All devotees will enter through Singhadwara. After the darshan, the exit will be through Uttaradwara.

General guidelines on account of COVID-19 for all devotees:

1. It is mandatory for all devotees to wear masks at all times, inside and outside the temple.
2. Devotees should sanitize their hands before entering the temple.
3. Devotees should maintain physical distance at all times as per COVID guidelines.
4. Devotees are requested not to touch statues or idols inside the temple.
5. It is prohibited to take flowers/bhoga/deepa inside the temple. There will be big containers placed at the entrance, where such items can be dropped if being carried by the devotees.
6. There will be no lighting of deepa inside the temple by the devotees.
7. There will be no partaking of mahaprasad inside Ananda Bazar and Temple premises.
8. Chewing of tobacco/paan and spitting inside temple premises is strictly prohibited.
9. Parking of vehicles will be done only at Jagannath Ballav Math premises or any other designated place.

Guidelines for all devotees who will be visiting the temple from 03.01.2021:

* Queue system will open from 08.00 AM at Market Chhak.

* All devotees will be required to bring COVID-19 negative certificate (RT PCR/Antigen) of testing done within 96 hours prior to their visit to the temple.

* All devotees will be required to bring their photo ID card like Aadhaar/Voter ID etc.

* Devotees will make entry through the barricade from Market Chhaka till Jagannath Temple office; leave their belongings at the designated place outside the temple; produce their ID proof for verification and follow the COVID-19 guidelines of hand sanitization and thermal screening before entering the temple.

* All devotees will enter through Singhadwara and exit through Uttaradwara.