Puri: The Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain open the whole night on December 25 on account of the solar eclipse.
This was decided at a meeting of the Chhattisa Nijog presided over by the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple, Krishan Kumar at the temple office here on Wednesday.
Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, secretary of Garabadu Nijog, Rajat Pratihari said since the solar eclipse will be on December 26, the temple will remain open the whole night on December 25 for the devotees.
Talking about the arrangement of the rituals in the temple for the solar eclipse, Pratihari said on December 26, partial eclipse (Khanda Grasa) will begin at 8:20:08 am and end at 11:29:10 am after which the rituals of the Lords will begin.
“Unlike other temples, where no rituals are performed during the eclipse period, special rituals of the Lords are performed in Jagannath Temple. The rituals will begin at 8:20:08 am with Grahana Mahasnana, Tadapalagi, Mailam, Mangala Alati, Abakasha, Rosa Homa, Surjya Puja, Dwarapala Puja, Grahana Fekura Bhoga, Gopala Ballava, Pahili Bhoga and Sakala Dhupa,” he added.
The SJTA chief administrator said the meeting discussed the arrangements for the devotees for the darshan of the Lords on New Year’s Day. “It was decided that the temple will be closed at 11 pm on December 31 and opened at 2 am,” he pointed out.
Among others, Puri collector Balwant Singh and SP Umashankar Das were present at the meeting.
