Frame of the shed at construction yard on the Grand Road in Puri. (Photo | EPS) 
Odisha

Odisha COVID-19 crisis: Section 144 at Alarnath temple to prevent congregation of devotees

When the Trinity enter the Anasar Ghara (sick room) of Puri temple, devotees visit Alarnath temple to have ‘darshan’ of the presiding deity.

From our online archive

PURI:  After Srimandir, prohibitory orders were clamped around the Alarnath temple at Brahmagiri on Saturday to prevent the congregation of devotees in wake of the COVID-19 health pandemic.

The ban orders would remain in place for a fortnight.

When the Trinity enter the Anasar Ghara (sick room) of Puri temple, devotees visit Alarnath temple to have ‘darshan’ of the presiding deity as it is believed that during the Anasar period of 15 days, Lord Jagannath manifests himself in Lord Alarnath.

Anticipating a huge gathering, Section 144 of IPC was clamped and police personnel deployed at the temple. Sub-Collector Bhabataran Sahu said all the nitis of Lord Alarnath would be performed by only 11 servitors in the absence of devotees.

Meanwhile, the weekly shutdown in Puri will be observed only on Sunday, as per a notification of SRC.

As the city remained under Section 144 from Thursday night to Saturday morning for Snana Purnima, the SRC directed the district administration to implement the shutdown only on Sunday.

Why the additional declaration linked to Form 6 is facing a legal challenge

SP-Congress alliance faces fresh strain as Akhilesh skips INDIA bloc meet over UP seat-sharing talks

Rahul Gandhi tells CWC to continue 'resistance' against 'match-fixing' of polls through EVM, voters list

Assam Rifles jawan killed in militant attack in Arunachal; security forces intensify ops to arrest killers

SC slams medicine pricing, calls cancer drug’s 10-fold MRP markup ‘carnage’