Finance
The Puri Jagannath temple will open its doors at 2 a.m. on January 1, 2026, to welcome worshipers seeking blessings from Lord Jagannath and his siblings, according to Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
According to Padhee, the Pahili Bhoga ceremonial schedule has already been established. According to the program, the Ratri Pahuda ritual will take place on December 31 at 11 p.m., followed by the Dwaraphita rite at 2 a.m. on January 1, 2026, to accommodate the massive crowd of devotees scheduled to visit the temple on New Year’s Eve and Day.
The decision to open the temple early on January 1 was made to guarantee that devotees can offer their prayers and get blessings from Sri Jiu without inconvenience. The temple administration has taken the necessary steps to ensure that devotees have a seamless and safe experience.
Meanwhile, Puri police issued a traffic caution on Monday ahead of the Zero Hour celebrations on December 31, 2025, and the New Year in 2026. To ensure smooth traffic flow and effective crowd management, 60 police platoons will be deployed around the city.
