Today marks a significant day for devotees as all four gates of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, were reopened after being closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This reopening follows the sacred ‘Mangala Alati’ ceremony of the sibling deities. The historic event saw the presence of Odisha’s Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Manjhi, who, along with his ministers, visited the temple in the early hours to pay obeisance to the Lords and perform the traditional ‘Parikrama’ around the 12th-century temple. This move comes after Chief Minister Manjhi, who recently assumed office, approved a proposal during his first Cabinet meeting to reopen all four gates of the temple.
Addressing the media post his visit, CM Manjhi explained the rationale behind this decision. “We proposed to open all four gates of Jagannath Temple in yesterday’s cabinet meeting, considering the sentiments and convenience of the devotees. The proposal was passed, and today at 6:30 am, I, along with my MLAs and the Puri MP, attended the ‘Mangala Alati’.”
The reopening of the gates is part of a broader initiative to enhance the experience for pilgrims. CM Manjhi assured that appropriate security measures and steps would be implemented to ensure a hassle-free darshan at the Srimandir. Further demonstrating the government’s commitment to the temple’s development, the Chief Minister announced a significant financial proposal. “For the development of the Jagannath Temple and other works, we have proposed a fund in the cabinet. When we present the next state budget, we will allot a corpus fund of Rs 500 crore for the temple management.”
Today marks a significant day for devotees as all four gates of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, were reopened after being closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This reopening follows the sacred ‘Mangala Alati’ ceremony of the sibling deities. The historic event saw the presence of Odisha’s Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Manjhi, who, along with his ministers, visited the temple in the early hours to pay obeisance to the Lords and perform the traditional ‘Parikrama’ around the 12th-century temple. This move comes after Chief Minister Manjhi, who recently assumed office, approved a proposal during his first Cabinet meeting to reopen all four gates of the temple.
Addressing the media post his visit, CM Manjhi explained the rationale behind this decision. “We proposed to open all four gates of Jagannath Temple in yesterday’s cabinet meeting, considering the sentiments and convenience of the devotees. The proposal was passed, and today at 6:30 am, I, along with my MLAs and the Puri MP, attended the ‘Mangala Alati’.”
The reopening of the gates is part of a broader initiative to enhance the experience for pilgrims. CM Manjhi assured that appropriate security measures and steps would be implemented to ensure a hassle-free darshan at the Srimandir. Further demonstrating the government’s commitment to the temple’s development, the Chief Minister announced a significant financial proposal. “For the development of the Jagannath Temple and other works, we have proposed a fund in the cabinet. When we present the next state budget, we will allot a corpus fund of Rs 500 crore for the temple management.”
