Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to allow the devotees to have ‘Abhada’ at Ananda Bazaar on the temple premises from Monday.
As per the new standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the SJTA, the devotees coming to the temple to have darshan of the deities will be allowed to partake ‘Abhada’ (cooked food offered to the Lords) at Ananda Bazaar. But they have to follow COVID guidelines strictly, it stated.
The temple officials will hold a meeting with the district authorities to decided the operational procedures in this regard. Besides, the new SOP allows the devotees to carry flowers and prasad inside the temple.
Though the temple opened to all devotees on August 23, partaking of Abhada at Ananda Bazaar and carrying prasad in the temple were prohibited due to prevalent COVID situation.