The Paschima Dwara (West Gate) of Odisha’s Jagannath temple in Puri will reopen on Monday to accommodate the influx of worshipers seeking the Holy Trinity. However, only Puri locals will be permitted to enter the shrine via the Paschima Dwara after presenting identification.
Puri district Collector Samarth Verma told the media that the West Gate of Srimandir will reopen for Puri people today. “The residents of the Holy City can enter the 12th-century shrine through the West Gate by producing their identity proof,” said the Collector.
It is worth noting that devotees, residents, and numerous people’s representatives had requested the state government and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to reopen all four gates of Srimandir in order to enable smooth deity darshan.
Previously, devotees could only enter and exit Srimandir through its four gates. The SJTA issued new guidelines a few years ago, instructing worshipers to visit the shrine solely through the Simgha Dwara (Lions’ Gate). The three other temple gates were effectively closed to the public, causing significant difficulty for worshippers who were forced to wait in huge lines to attend the sanctuary.
Puri Sub-Collector Bhabataran Sahu, on his part, stated that work on the two other gates of Puri Srimandir is underway and once the work is completed, they will take a decision on reopening them too.
Source:OCN