Bhubaneswar, Dec 30: The world-famous Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will open its doors at 2 am on January 1, 2026, to allow devotees to usher in the New Year by seeking blessings of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. The decision was announced by Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Kumar Padhee.

Padhee informed that the ritual schedule for Pahili Bhoga has already been finalised. As per the timetable, the Ratri Pahuda ritual will be observed at 11 pm on December 31, following which the Dwaraphita ritual will be performed at 2 am on January 1 to facilitate early darshan. The move has been taken in view of the massive influx of devotees expected at the temple during New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The SJTA has assured that all necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth darshan, safety and crowd regulation. Temple sevayats and administrative staff will remain on alert to avoid inconvenience to pilgrims.

Meanwhile, Puri police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the Zero Hour celebrations on December 31 and New Year 2026. To manage traffic and crowd movement effectively, as many as 60 platoons of police personnel will be deployed across the city, with special focus on sensitive and high-footfall areas.

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