Bhubaneswar, June 13:  All four gates (dwaras) of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, were opened on Thursday morning, in the presence of the Odisha Council of Ministers, to facilitate easier darshan for devotees. This decision was made during the first Cabinet meeting of the newly formed Mohan Majhi government on Wednesday.

Discussing the outcomes of the BJP government's initial meeting, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi stated, "Given the large crowds and the inconvenience faced by devotees at Puri Srimandir, it has been decided to open all four dwaras of Srimandir during the Mangala Alati tomorrow (Thursday) in the presence of the Council of Ministers, as promised in the BJP’s election manifesto. This decision aims to ensure a smoother darshan experience for devotees."

The gates of the Puri Jagannath Mandir were indeed opened during this morning's Mangala Alati. The process to open all four gates of the Srimandir commenced on June 11, fulfilling the BJP’s election pledge to ease entry for devotees to the renowned shrine.

It is noteworthy that the gates of the 12th-century temple had been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Subsequently, only the Singhadwara (Lions Gate) was reopened for devotees, while the three other gates – Ashwa Dwara (Horse Gate), Vyaghra Dwara (Tiger Gate), and Hasti Dwara (Elephant Gate) – remained closed. This led to long queues of devotees outside the temple daily, waiting for darshan of the Holy Trinity.

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