Puri Srimandir Reopens For Public With Covid-19 Protocols

Puri: The Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) opened its doors to the public for darshan of Mahaprabhu Jagannath and His siblings from today after an interregnum of almost nine months’ due to covid19 restrictions.

Emotion ran high as devotees from across the country were allowed entry into the 12th-century shrine to pay darshan of the Holy Trinity after 8 am.

Puri district administration has made elaborate arrangements for smooth and hassle-free darshan of the devotees. SJTA is hopeful to handle a congregation of at least 15,000 devotees every day. A Covid-19 negative report for the devotees has been made mandatory by the administration.

SJTA administration has requested the devotees to abide by the protocols in place.

“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,” said Puri Collector Balwant Singh.

“The devotees have to go through the barricades in the Market square with their identification cards followed by strict checking and thermal scanning at eight kiosks to enter Srimandir through Singhadwar,” said Singh.

It is worth mentioning that the Lord Jagannath temple was closed for the devotees since March in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. It reopened for the servitors on December 23. Only the servitors and their families were allowed darshan for first three days and subsequently the temple gates were thrown open for the residents of Puri town between December 26 and 31.

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(Edited by Suryakant Jena)