LORD JAGANNATH'S BATHING RESTRICTIONS AND SECURITY TIGHTENED AMIDST COVID DREAD
Source : Financial Express
Date : 24th June, 2021
Date : 24th June, 2021
The annual bathing ceremony of the holy trinity of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath took place on Thursday without devotees and under strict Covid-19 regulations and protocols, officials said.
The 'Snana Yatra' is held on the full-moon day in 'Jyeshtha' month of the Hindu calendar, as the birthday of Lord Jagannath, ahead of the Rath Yatra.
The district administration prohibited the devotees from witnessing the 'Devasnana' festival for the second year consecutively due to the pandemic and extended security around the shrine as well, since Wednesday night to ensure there's no crowd around.
The state government had made several arrangements for a live telecast of the festival, Samarth Verma, Puri District Magistrate-cum Collector announced.
He also informed that all the priests and devotees who took part in the rituals had been tested negative under the RT-PCR test and the servicemen there were also fully vaccinated.
The administration chief of the temple declared that the temple would remain closed for the devotees till July 25th.
