Bhubaneswar: In anticipation of a massive congregation of devotees on the year-end and New Year day at Srimandir in Puri, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is mulling to skip the Ratra Pahuda ritual on the night of December 31 this year.
The decision in this regard will be finalized observing the situation on the day, SJTA chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das said.
“We may skip the night Pahuda ritual on December 31 as we expect a huge crowd on the year end. We will take a decision in this regard keeping in view the situation,” he said after the meeting Niti sub-committee.
On January 1, the New Year day, the day Pahuda ritual may not be conducted if the heavy rush continues, he added.
A detailed discussion on the matter was held with all the nijogs today in the meeting, he informed.
The temple administration will also strictly enforce a complete ban on paan, gutkha and polythene on the premises of the shrine from New Year. None will be spared if found violating the order, Das added.
The decent dress code directive will also be strictly followed from January 1.
Earlier, the SJTA had issued a directive asking devotees to wear decent dress while entering the temple for darshan.
Devotees should wear traditional clothes while visiting Jagannath temple. They should not wear clothes such as shorts, ripped jeans and skirts. Dress code has been introduced at several shrines across the country, the temple office said.
