New Delhi: The Jagannath Temple in Puri will be resuming gradually for the general public from Monday (August 16) in the second phase of the Odisha unlock.
The Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) said obeying to the COVID-19 protocols, social distancing rules will be maintained. However, all worshipers will only be allowed entry for the darshan from August 23.
The temple had reopened on August 12 in the first phase after remaining closed for over three months amid the COVID-19 curbs in the state.
Only family members of the servitors were allowed to enter the temple in the first phase according to news agency PTI.
The SJTA said that people staying in the Puri Municipality area will be permitted entry for darshan from August 16 to August 20 and the darshan timings will be from 7am to 7pm on all days when the temple is open.
The general public will be granted entry from August 23 onwards, an official said..
“A meeting was chaired on August 4 with Chhatisa Nijog members and all other partners under the chairmanship of Dr. Krishan Kumar, the Chief Administrator of SJTA to review the matter. After detailed discussions and considering all the connected issues, it was determined to open the Temple on August 16, 2021 under strict regulations,” an official notification published by the SJTA on August 11 stated..
The temple was shut to the public on April 24 this year amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and remained shut during the Rath Yatra.
Here are the guidelines enforced:
The temple would stay closed on all weekends and major festivals, further added STJA.
The temple will stay closed for public darshan on all Saturdays and Sundays as a measure to curb the spread of coronavirus and in order to sanitize the temple premises.
The temple will also stay closed on key festive occasions in order to evade any surge in the transmission of Covid-19 on account of huge crowds that are expected on such festive events.
Devotees from outside Puri will have to fetch the final COVID-vaccination certificate or COVID-negative RT-PCR report of testing done within 96 hours. They will also have to forward a government-issued identity card such as Aadhaar.
