Puri: Ahead of ‘Debasnana’ Purnima, June 5, the ‘Daitapati Nijog’ said Monday that COVID-19 tests should be done on all servitors participating in upcoming ‘Pahandi Bije’.
Earlier, the Jagannath Temple administration had written a letter to the ‘Nijog’ asking it to provide a list of servitors who will participate in the ‘Pahandi Bije’ ritual. ‘Nijog’ then submitted a list of 150 servitors who will take part in the programme.
The body said that 60 servitors will participate in the Pahandi of Lord Jagannath, 50 will do the ritual for Lord Balabhadra, 30 others will be involved in the Pahandi of Goddess Subhadra and 10 for Lord Sudarshan. ‘Nijog’ said the COVID-19 tests must be carried out on the 150 servitors as a precautionary measure. This will prevent the spread of the virus, the body said.
“We want the temple administration to conduct tests before the rituals start,” Nijog president Rabindra Dasmohapatra said Monday.
PNN