The Lord Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri has reopened to devotees in strict accordance with Covid-19 standards, officials announced here on Tuesday.
Because of the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases in Odisha, the Jagannath temple was closed to devotees from January 10 to January 31. However, the Chhatisha Nijog decided to reopen the temple to the public on January 28 following a protest by local traders who rely on the temple for a living.
To ensure that devotees have a smooth darshan of the Lords, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Devotees have been permitted to enter the temple beginning at 6 a.m. On all days when the temple is open for public darshan, public darshan will be available until 9 p.m.
However, it will be closed to the public on all Sundays for sanitation purposes in order to control the spread of the Covid-19 disease.
According to the SOP, all devotees must bring their photo ID card, as well as a final certificate for Covid-19 vaccination (of having taken two doses) or a Covid-19 negative certificate (RT-PCR) of testing done within 96 hours of their visit to the temple.
All devotees are required to wear masks at all times, both inside and outside the temple. People who violate the rules will be fined and may be denied entry, according to the statement.
Before entering the temple, devotees must sanitize their hands. There will be strict enforcement to ensure that everyone acts in a Covid-appropriate manner. According to Covid-19 guidelines, devotees must maintain a physical distance at all times.
Meanwhile, the temple administration has set up a camp to administer precautionary doses to Sevayats aged 18 to 60.
Prasanta Patnaik