Puri Gundicha Temple To Reopen For Devotees From Dec 1

Puri: Shree Gundicha Temple, revered as the birthplace of Lord Jagannath and siblings in Odisha’s Puri, is all set to be reopened for devotees from December 1, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Puri district Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said the administration has removed encroachments near the historic Gundicha temple and made the necessary arrangement to facilitate visit of devotees.

Devotees can now visit Shree Gundicha temple round-the-year. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee recently, he said.

During the annual Rath Yatra, Lord Jagannath and his siblings travel to Gundicha temple from the 12th century shrine in their respective chariots every year. They return after a nine-day sojourn on the occasion of Bahuda Yatra. Lakhs of devotees visit Gundicha temple to offer prayers before the Trinity during this period.

In the past, devotees were allowed to visit Gundicha temple throughout the year. However, the system was discontinued around five years ago due to certain issue.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) will manage the day-to-day affairs of Shree Gundicha temple. The authorities will later take a call on introducing the paid (ticket) darshan system at the shrine, officials said.