Puri is a small town in Odisha full of natural beauty. Shree Jagannath Temple is one of the key attractions in Puri.

The magnificent architecture of the temple, the ancient glory, the unique statues of God and Goddesses, and the huge waves of the sea attract the attention of everyone, from the traveler to the devotee. However, there are strict rules and restrictions as well. Stricter rules have come into force at Jagannath Dham in Puri as of January 1.

Since the beginning of the new year, devotees have thronged Puri to have a darshan of Lord Jagannath. Are you thinking of visiting? Let’s Know what new rules have been issued by the Temple’s administration.

Regulations on Dress code

A Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) official of this 12th-century traditional temple said on Monday that devotees will be required to wear “decent clothes,” which are not revealing, to enter the temple.

People wearing half-pants, shorts, ripped jeans, skirts, and sleeveless dresses will not be allowed entry into the famous Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri.

Only a saree or salwar-kameez for female devotees and a full pant, shirt, or kurta-pajama, towel (‘Gamcha’), or dhoti for men have been identified as ‘modest’ clothing by the temple committee. However, half pants are discounted for children under the age of 12. The dress code is strictly checked in line before entering the sanctum sanctorum.

Several Hindu temples in North and South India have seen such dress codes enforced in the past few months. In all cases, the wearing of short dresses is strictly prohibited in order to protect the religious sentiments and sanctity of the temple.

Guidelines since 2021

Earlier, on October 20, 2021, the SGTA issued a special guideline on dress code by the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration. It states that torn jeans, sleeveless shirts, or half pants will not be tolerated in the temple.

Wearing clothes that offend religious sentiments will also be banned in the Puri temple. Even after the promulgation of the 2021 rule, many people are seen walking around the temple wearing half-pants and sleeves. The temple authorities clarified, “It is our duty to maintain the sanctity of the temple. Nowadays, many people come to the temple without thinking about their religious sentiments. The temple authorities have been seen to be very strict in maintaining the guidelines issued by themselves.

Ban of Gutkha around the temple- premises

An official said a ban on gutkha and pan at the temple premises has been imposed to maintain the atmosphere of the temple. He also said that those who violate the ban are being fined.

Since Monday, consumption of pan and tobacco products has also been banned inside the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar.

Additionally, the use of plastics and polythene has been prohibited in the temple, a decision made by the Lingaraj Temple Trust Board.

New year Deity- Darshan

According to the police, the number of devotees visiting the temple this year on New Year’s Day has doubled compared to last year. “More than 1,80,000 devotees visited @JagannathaDhaam (Monday) till noon. Besides ensuring hassle-free darshan, police are ensuring facilities for specially abled devotees,”A Puri police Samarth Verma said in a post by X.

The puja ceremony was completed by 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. After that, the doors of Jagannath Temple were opened for visitors at 1:40 PM. and “till 5 pm, about 3.5 lakh people visited the shrine”, the SJTA said.

Puri Central Zone IG Ashish Singh said, ‘A long queue has been standing in front of the temple since last night. Devotees have been able to stand in air-conditioned restrooms and wait for the puja.’

With the rule coming into effect, male devotees coming to the temple on the first day of 2024 were seen wearing dhoti and towels, and women were clad in either sarees or salwar kameez as they thronged to have a darshan of the deity.
Administrative Arrangements

Administrative arrangements

The SJTA and the police have made elaborate preparations to ensure a seamless darshan experience for the devotees. Facilities like drinking water and public toilets are provided in the structure, and it is equipped with CCTV cameras and a public announcement system. Seating arrangements have also been made for it.

Traffic has also been banned in the city. The area between Market Chakka to Singhadwara (main gate) in Badadandahas been declared a ‘no vehicle zone’, while vehicles have been imposed on the beach road from Digbareni to Batighar, officials said.

According to the board,  From now fans will be allowed to enter strictly following the same rules on the first day.