Odisha to impose curfew in Puri for Bahuda Yatra

Bhubaneswar, June 27 (IANS) For smooth conduct of the Bahuda Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings without participation of devotees, the Odisha government has decided to impose curfew in the Puri district from 10 p.m. on June 30 to 10 p.m. on July 2, according to an official, here on Saturday.

The Bahuda Yatra (return chariot festival) of the deities will be held on July 1. Lord Jagannath and his siblings will return from Gundicha Temple on three wooden chariots during the Yatra.

The curfew would be imposed to prevent devotees from taking part in the Yatra, said Puri Collector Balwant Singh. No visitors would be allowed to the pilgrim town between July 1 and July 4, he added.

Hotels have been asked not to allow any tourist during the period.

After the Supreme Court allowed holding of Rath Yatra, the nine-day annual sojourn of the deities began on June 23. The chariots were pulled by servitors, who had tested Covid-19 negative, to Gundicha Temple, nearly 3 km away from the Jagannath Temple.

On Friday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the arrangements for the Bahuda Yatra and rituals, like Suna Vesha, Adhara Pana and Niladri Bije.

–IANS

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