Janmastami rituals: Darshan to remain closed 5 hours at Puri Jagannath Temple tonight

Darshan of the deities at Puri Jagannath Temple will remain suspended for around five hours tonight, from approximately 7.00 PM to midnight on Friday, for the sacred rituals on account of the Janmastami. As Janmastami unfolds, the State reverberates with devotional fervour and ceremonial grandeur in temples and homes.

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Marking the divine birth of Lord Krishna, temples across Odisha are echoing with chants, rituals, and celebration. At the 12th-century shrine in Puri, the birth anniversary is being observed with the special Krishna Janma Niti, a sacred sequence of midnight rituals.

To facilitate the performance of these Nitis, public Darshan at the temple will be restricted after the Sandhyadhupa rituals are over. This five-hour closure is to allow uninterrupted performance of the Sandhyadhupa Bhoga Chheka and Lord Krishna Birth ritual, conducted inside the sanctum sanctorum.

According to mythology, Lord Krishna was born during Bhadrapada, Krishna Paksha Ashtami, at midnight, to Devaki and Basudeva, in Mathura. His birth heralded the fall of the tyrant Kansa and symbolised the restoration of Dharma.

Odisha’s spiritual centres—especially in Puri, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack—are hosting devotional programmes and rituals. In homes and temples, children are dressed as Krishna and Radha, re-enacting the divine childhood tales with joy and reverence.

In the Jagannath Temple, Jaya-Bijaya Dwar is closed after Sandhyadhupa, and Garbhagriha (sanctum) is cleansed in preparation for the Krishna Janma Niti. Jeuda Bhoga—a traditional offering including Saga (leafy greens), vegetables, Pithas, and Odia Kheeri etc—is prepared and offered in the Anasara Pindi.

Mudirastha Sevakas offer the Bhoga to the deities’ Shri Anga (divine form). Only after the completion of this intricate midnight ceremony will the doors reopen to the public.

Janmastami, across the nation, is especially grand in Mathura and Vrindavan, where Lord Krishna spent his early life. Odisha’s celebrations carry their own rich flavour of devotion, temple arts, and traditional culinary offerings, making this an emotionally and spiritually uplifting day for devotees.

“Among the various festivals and rituals observed at Shree Jagannath Temple, the Krishna Janma Niti (birth ritual) and depictions of Lord Krishna’s childhood pastimes are among the most significant and captivating,” noted Jagannath Culture researcher, Pandit Surya Narayan Rathasharma.

“Every year, during the Ashtami tithi of Krishna Paksha in Bhadraba month, when it aligns with the Rohini nakshatra, Lord Krishna is believed to descend to this earth. On this occasion of Bhadraba Ashtami, also known as Janmastami, Shree Krishna’s Janma Niti is observed with grand celebration at the Jagannath Temple,” the researcher added.