Puri: While Jagannath Temple will remain open for devotees on Saturdays from next week (September 18), the timing for the darshan of the sibling deities has been extended by two hours till 9 pm.
A decision to this effect was taken at a virtual meeting presided over by Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Krishan Kumar at the Niladri Bhakta Nivas here in presence of the Puri Collector Samarth Verma, SP Kanwar Vishal Singh, Chief District Medical & Public Health Officer (CDM & PHO) and five members of the temple managing committee.
Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Unnayan Prasasak (Administrator, Development) Ajay Jena said that the temple will remain closed every Sunday for sanitisation.
“The decision to extend the timing was taken to allow more devotees to have darshan of the Lords,” he said.
The gate of the 12th-century shrine was earlier opened from 7 am to 7 pm.
Jena further said that the temple will also remain closed on all festive days.
Accordingly, the temple will remain closed on September 10 for Ganesh Puja and on September 17 for Biswakarma Puja. Besides, it will remain closed for three days in October on account of Dussehra and Kumar Purnima,” he added.
