PURI: With just a week to go for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Puri, the Chhatisa Nijog and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) held separate meetings on Monday to decide on the entry of the PM to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for darshan of the Trinity on February 7.
The temple’s Chief Administrator Suresh Mahapatra conducted the SJTA meeting, which was held after the Nijog’s meeting, in the absence of Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb. It was decided that the Prime Minister will enter the temple at 10.55 am through the Lion’s Gate and stay on the premises till 11.40 am. During this time he will pay obeisance to Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra in the ‘garbha gruha’, visit Maa Bimala and Mahalaxmi temples.
In view of the renovation work being undertaken by the ASI in the Jagamohan of the main temple, it was decided to complete the rituals by 9.30 am and deck up the deities in their ‘besha’ to facilitate smooth darshan for the Prime Minister. At present, the temple gates are opened by 2 am and all rituals are completed by 11 am including offering of ‘bhog’ to the deities for the renovation work.
The entire temple premises will be cleared of devotees and no one will be allowed entry during the visit of the Prime Minister.
Modi will be received at the Lion’s Gate by the Nayak of Chhatisa Nijog, Janardhan Pattajoshi Mohapatra, and Suresh Mahapatra. Before departure Modi will be presented ‘Khandua pata’ and solo art work.