Puri: Puri Jagannath temple makes dress code mandatory for devotees

Puri: The Shree Jagannath temple administration on Monday made dress code mandatory for devotees wishing to enter the 12th century temple. It imposed a complete ban on chewing gutkha and paan and use of plastic and polythene in the temple premises from New Year’s Day 2024. An SJTA official said devotees will have to wear ‘decent clothes’ to enter the temple. Devotees wearing half pants, shorts, torn jeans, skirts and sleeveless dresses will not be allowed to enter the temple. The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had earlier issued an order to this effect and the police were asked to enforce the restrictions. The official said the ban on gutkha and paan in the temple premises is being implemented to maintain its sanctity. He said fines were being imposed on those violating the ban. Meanwhile, a large number of devotees have flocked to the seaside pilgrimage town to have darshan of Lord Jagannath on New Year’s Day. The doors of the temple reopened to devotees, who had been standing in queues on the Grand Road in front of it, at 1.40 am. “Till 12 noon (on Monday), more than 1,80,000 devotees have visited @Jagannathdham. Along with ensuring hassle-free darshan, the police are also ensuring convenience of specially-abled devotees,” Puri police Samarth Verma said in an ex-post. SJTA and police have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth darshan of the devotees. The air-conditioned tensile fabric structure built outside the temple was made operational for devotees from Monday morning. Facilities like drinking water and public toilets have been provided in the structure, which is also equipped with CCTV cameras and public announcement system. Sitting arrangements have also been made in these. Inspector General of Police, Central Range, Ashish Kumar Singh said, “Almost double the number of devotees have come to the temple today as compared to the same day last year. The darshan (of the deities) started at 1.40 am and is still continuing. The darshan was stopped for some time to conduct rituals involving the deities. There has been no disruption so far and devotees are entering the temple through the AC shed. Special arrangements have been made for senior citizens and disabled people. Singh said that after having darshan in the temple, the devotees are coming out through the northern gate. Traffic restrictions have been imposed in the city for New Year’s Day. Officials said the area between Market Chakka to Singhdwar (main gate) on Badadanda has been declared a ‘no vehicle zone’, while vehicles have been banned on the coastal road from Digbareni to the lighthouse. Consumption of paan and tobacco products has also been banned inside the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar from Monday. Devotees found chewing tobacco or paan are not being allowed to enter the premises of the 11th century Shiva temple. As per the decision of Lingaraja Temple Trust Board, the use of polythene and plastic has also been banned in the temple.