Puri Gundicha Temple to reopen on Dec 1 after 6 years, Rs 10 ticket for darshan from now

The sacred Gundicha Temple in Puri, closed for nearly six years, is finally set to reopen for devotees on December 1. The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has also announced new guidelines, including the trial introduction of a ticketed darshan system.

Temple Reopens After Six Years

The Gundicha Temple, closely associated with the famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, has remained closed to the public for six years due to repair work, structural concerns, and administrative decisions.

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Trial-Based Ticket Darshan System

One of the major changes is the introduction of a trial-based ticket darshan system. Each devotee will need to purchase a ticket priced at Rs 10 to enter the temple.

Exemptions include:

• Children below 5 years – No ticket required
• Senior citizens above 80 years – Free entry
• Divyang devotees (Persons with Disabilities) – Free entry

Administrative Preparations Underway

Ahead of the reopening, extensive preparations are being made to ensure smooth darshan for devotees.

According to SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee, the temple will now remain open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, during winter months (November to February), the temple will close at 5 p.m.

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He further informed that during the annual Rath Yatra period, the Gundicha Temple will remain closed to devotees from Chandan Yatra to Niladri Bije, owing to various rituals associated with the temple, which serves as the destination of the Rath Yatra chariot procession.

Padhee stated that the reopening will be closely monitored as per the prepared SOPs. Devotees will be allowed to enter the temple from Singhadwar, proceed up to Kala Hata Dwar, have darshan inside the premises, and exit through Singhadwar.