Puri: After a wait of eight months, Puri Srimandir will reopen in December, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Krishan Kumar said Tuesday.
“Srimandir is incomparable with other temples. Numerous devotees were desperately waiting to catch a glimpse of the Supreme solace. As the shrine has remained out of the bounds for devotees for around eight months now owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to go for special arrangements to reopen the shrine for devotees,” Krishna Kumar said.
Even though the final date of reopening of the temple is yet to be finalised, members of Chattisa Nijog have decided in a meeting to reopen the temple in second or third week of December.
Krishan Kumar also said, “There are plans for reopening of Srimandir for devotees in the second or third week of December. Special standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be formulated for the devotees who will visit the temple.”
Kumar said that Nagarjuna Besha will be held Friday. For this, a 3-tier security arrangement will be made in temple premises and outside the temple to avoid any type of public congregation. Action will be taken against any kind of violation, he said.
The servitors will not be allowed to carry mobile phones with them inside the temple during Nagarjuna Besha, Kumar added.
PNN