Puri’s Jagannath Yatra begins amid curfew today: All you need to know

The Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra will begin on Monday. As one of the biggest yatras held every year, the Jagannath Rath Yatra usually attracts priests, workers and worshippers from all around the country. The festival is associated with Lord Jagannath and is held at Puri, Odisha.

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However, the Jagannath Temple administration has said that the yatra will be organised in strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. The administrator of Puri Jagannath Temple, Ajaya Jena had said that only those servitors who test negative for COVID-19 would be allowed to participate in pulling of the chariots, reports news agency PTI.

This will be the second consecutive devotees-less Ratha Jatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri. The district administration imposed a curfew from 8 PM of Sunday for two days, official sources told PTI.

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“All preparations for the festival have been made. Arrangement from the police administration has also been done. A detailed plan to ensure foolproof security has been chalked out,” Additional Director General, RK Sharma had said on Saturday.

The administration has imposed curbs across the 3-km long Grand Road from Shree Jagannath Temple to Sri Gunducha Temple where all activities excluding medical emergencies are prohibited.

As many as 65 platoons (1 platoon comprise 30 personnel) were deployed for the smooth conduct of the Lord’s annual festival amidst the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Pulling of the holy chariots will start at 3 PM Monday.

The security forces will also be deployed on the rooftops of different buildings on both sides of the grand road in order to ensure that people do not congregate in large numbers to witness the festival from the residential houses, hotels, lodges and guest houses.

“With the cooperation of the residents of Puri and blessing of Lord Jagannath, all the rituals are underway smoothly so far. We hope the mega festival will be undertaken tomorrow peacefully in compliance with all SOPs,” said Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh.

Though there was no such restrictions on the people witnessing the Ratha Jatra from roof tops last year, the administration this time banned such practice after it came to the notice that some hotels, lodges and guest houses book rooms with provision of allowing people to witness the festival from the roof top.

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Even some local people were found to have invited their relatives and friends to allow them to see the festival from their houses.

Puri district collector Samarth Verma said that the people are urged not to come out of their residences during the curfew period from 8 PM of Sunday till 8 PM of Tuesday.

The measure is taken keeping in view the public health and to check spread of infection among citizens.

He said people can witness the festival on their TV sets as the government has made arrangements to give free-of-cost feed to different channels and web portals.