Srimandir Paschima Dwara opens for Puri locals
The Paschima Dwara (West Gate) of Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, opened for local devotees on Monday, amid growing demand to open all four gates of the shrine for pilgrims' convenience.
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Puri: The Paschima Dwara (West Gate) of Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, opened for local devotees on Monday, amid growing demand to open all four gates of the shrine for pilgrims' convenience.
Before entering Srimandir, devotees must present their Aadhaar card or proof of nativity at the gate.
Previously, devotees could only enter the shrine through the main gate or Singhadwar, with the other three gates remaining closed since the COVID pandemic broke out in 2020, causing serpentine queues and inconvenience.
Sudarsan Pattnaik, a well-known sand sculptor and member of the Shree Jagannath Temple Management Committee, warned on Sunday that he would stage a sit-in dharna outside the shrine until one more gate was opened for locals. Puri MLA Jayant Sarangi had ALSO slammed the administration and threatened to stage a protest over the issue.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and former minister Maheswar Mohanty had also demanded that visitors be permitted to enter the 12th-century shrine through all of its gates.
