Puri's Jagannath Temple to reopen in 3 phases starting today
Shrine was shut on April 24 amid the second wave of the pandemic, and remained closed during the Rath Yatra for a second straight year
After being inaccessible to the public for more than three months due to COVID-19, the famed Jagannath Temple in Puri partially reopened on Thursday.
According to officials, the temple will reopen in three phases, of which Thursday’s was the first. While only family of the servitors will be allowed to enter from Thursday, the temple will be open for residents of Puri after the weekend lockdown from August 16. It will reopen for general public from August 23.
The 12th-century shrine was shut on April 24 amid the second wave of the pandemic, and remained closed during the Rath Yatra for a second straight year.
“The family members of the servitors are being allowed darshan from Mangal Arati till Rati Pahuda,” the official said.
While entering the temple, the family are required to produce any identity card issued by the temple authority along with a government-issued identity proof such as Aadhaar Card or PAN Card. They don’t need to produce an RT-PCR negative report or a vaccination certificate. On the other hand, the general public will have to either produce a double vaccination certificate or RT-PCR negative report that shouldn’t be older than 96 hours, along with a government issued identity card.
Also read: Rath Yatra: Chariots roll in Puri as Jagannath, siblings head for aunt’s home
Devotees should follow COVID-19 norms, which includes wearing mask at all time inside the temple premises and maintaining social distance. As per the new guidelines, people can’t eat inside Ananda Bazaar, where the mahaprasad is served.
To prevent crowding, the temple will be closed on August 30 and September 1, due to Janmasthami and Ganesh Puja, respectively.