Puri’s Shree Jagannath Temple is planning to do away with COVID test for entry into its premises. As of next week, the temple administration is planning to take this step, allowing easier access to visitors. The temple reopened on January 3 for devotees, after remaining shut for the better part of 2020. The idea to allow visitors into the temple without a COVID-19 negative certificate is suggested by the state health department.
The 12th-century shrine will be making a move towards this direction from January 21 onwards. However, this is a testing period, as this new rule will be valid until February 21.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said in a statement, “Mandatory testing for entry into temples may kindly be dispensed with as it is a time consuming process for the devotees who also come from far off places. Rather, the Covid appropriate behavior should be strictly observed by the temple authority as is being practiced in other public premises like shops and shopping malls.”
Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri is an extremely popular destination for Hindu devotees from India, and abroad. The temple is dedicated to Shree Jagannath, and is one of the Char Dhams. The temple was completed in 1161 CE. Rath Yatra is at the centre of this age-old temple, a festival that is celebrated with massive fanfare in the beach town of Puri.