The Puri Jagannath temple will remain closed for three days starting on December 31. As a result, devotees will be deprived of darshan of the sibling deities on the first day of the New Year (January 1, 2022).
Every year, lakhs of devotees usually throng the sacred shrine to get a glimpse of Lord Jagannath to seeking blessings on New Year.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), said that since the temple will remain closed for regular sanitatisation activities on Sunday (January 2, 2022), the total closure time will be for three days in a row as the shrine will be shut from December 31.
The decision not to allow public darshan on New Year was taken at the crucial Chhatisanijog meeting held on Friday in anticipation of heavy footfall of devotees on January 1, 2022.
“The Puri Jagannath temple will be closed for public darshan on December31, 2021, January 1, 2022 and January 3, 2022 in view of the Covid-19 protocols,” said SJTA chief, Krishan Kumar.