Odisha govt restricts movement near Puri temple for deities' rituals

The district administration of Puri on Thursday imposed restrictions on the movement of people in and around the Shree Jagannath Temple here when the deities adorn the 'Nagarjuna Besa' (warrior attire), after a gap of nearly 26 years.

The district administration of Puri on Thursday imposed restrictions on the movement of people in and around the Shree Jagannath Temple here when the deities adorn the 'Nagarjuna Besa' (warrior attire), after a gap of nearly 26 years. Prohibitory order under Section-144 of CrPC has been imposed in several parts of the holy town for the event, scheduled to commence from 2 am on Friday till around 3 pm.

The restrictions will continue to remain in force till 'Bhesha Olagi' (removal of the attire) after the completion of rituals, said Puri's Sub-divisional Magistrate Bhabataran Sahu. The order prevents entry of public and devotees around the Shree Jagannath Temple. Only authorized servitors, Jagannath Temple Police (JTP), and officials on duty are allowed entry by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Sahu said.

Though the temple has been closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration expects a congregation of lakhs of devotees around the 12th-century shrine for 'Patitapabana' (symbolic idol of Lord Jagannath, which is seen from outside the temple). "During the pandemic situation, it may lead to further spread of the disease," Sahu said, justifying the prohibition order.

Devotees will be allowed to view the 'Patitapabana' only after the conclusion of attire rituals, officials said. Meanwhile, extensive security arrangements have been put in place for the occasion, they said.

The trinity had adorned the Nagarjuna Besa for the last time in 1994. Puri District Magistrate-cum-Collector Balwant Singh had earlier appealed to people outside Puri not to visit the holy town on the occasion of Nagarjuna Besha.

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