Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Wednesday said the Srimandir will be opened gradually for the general public from August 16.
The family members of servitors, however, will be allowed to have darshan of the sibling deities on August 12 and August 13.
Puri residents will be allowed into the 12th-century shrine from August 16-20, while the gates will be opened for all devotees from August 23
The timing for darshan is 7 am to 7 pm, except on weekends and festive occasions.
The temple will remain closed for public darshan on all Saturdays and Sundays as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to sanitize the temple premises, the SJTA said while releasing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
To avoid any spike in the transmission of COVID-19 on account of huge gatherings expected on festive occasions, the temple will remain closed on August 30 (Janmashtami) and September 10 (Shree Ganesh Chaturthi). This matter will be reviewed again for the month of October 2021, it said.
Devotees will not be allowed to light diyas inside the shrine and they have been advised against touching statues and idols. They can take no offerings into the temple.
They also cannot partake Mahaprasad inside Ananda Bazaar and the temple premises.
Chewing tobacco/paan and spitting inside temple premises is strictly prohibited and a fine of Rs 500 will be levied for each violation. The ban on polythene bags continue.
There will be a separate queue for differently-abled devotees. Parking of the vehicles will be done only at Jagannatha Ballav Math premise or any other designated place.
Senior citizens, people with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below 10 years have been advised against visiting the temple.
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