For the second year in a row, the pilgrim city of Puri will hold a devotee-free Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, after the Odisha government banned the big event, which was planned to begin on July 12 elsewhere in the state due to the COVID19 pandemic.
With the orders from the honorable Supreme Court last year the protocols are still considered this year. “In order, the Special Relief Commissioner stated, “Ratha Yatra/car festival shall be conducted this year in Badadanda of Lord Jagannath Bije Puri and nowhere else in the State in the same manner as it was done last year”.
Rituals related to the Rath Yatra, on the other hand, may be performed at temples inside its grounds. Except for the Car Festival/ Rath Yatra of Lord Shree Jagannath Bije Puri, no chariots shall be pulled in places/temples in the state of Odisha,” the SRC directive added.
Only anyone with a 48-hour RT-PCR negative report or those who have been fully vaccinated will be allowed to pull the chariots of the holy siblings, according to the article, and each chariot will be drawn by no more than 500 individuals.
The rites will also be performed only by Covid negative and fully immunized Servitors. The police personnel and authorities who will be assigned to conduct the Rath Yatra will be held to the same standards.
The Ratha Yatra 2021 will be followed by the Covid protocols as follows:
– No one except the Mandir Sevayat will be allowed to participate in Rituals. If a possible minimum number of sevayats will be permitted to participate as it was done in Ratha Yatra 2020
– The Sevayats having Final Vaccination certificate or found negative in RT-PCR test done 48 hours prior will be permitted to participate.-
Only permitted Sevayat, Police personnel, and official by SJTA(Shri Jagannath Temple Administration) will pull the holy chariots. They all must either be completely vaccinated or must have 48 hours prior RT-PCR negative report.
– No devotees will be allowed to participate in any rituals of Ratha Yatra.
There will be sufficient time intervals in between the pulling of the two holy chariots.
– A limitation of 500 people has been decided who can pull the chariot with either fully vaccinated or 48 hours Prior RT-PCR negative report
– Social distancing is mandatory as far as possible before and after the pulling of holy chariots.
– The other rituals associated with Rath Yatra, such as Snana Yatra / Gundicha Yatra/ Bahuda/ Nabami Darshan / Suna Besha/ Adhar Pana Niti/ Niladree Bije, etc. shall only be performed by Sevayats found negative in RT-PCR test or having Final Vaccination Certificate and such Sevayats shall maintain social distancing as far as practicable while performing the job.
The managing committee of SJTA will ensure all the conditions prescribed in the orders.
– I&PR will be making arrangements for live telecast/streaming of these important events as – Snan Yatra, Gundicha Yatra, Bahuda Yatra, Suna Besha, Nladree BIje and shall share the common feed to all willing electronic/ digital media. The telecast of these events will be done with the prior permission of SJTA and following the covid protocols.
– No vehicles will be allowed to enter the Puri city during these holy days as per the order of the Puri District magistrate. A curfew will be imposed in the city.
– During the period of curfew, no one shall be allowed to come out of their houses or their places of residence such as hotels/ lodging houses / Dharamshala, etc. However, essential services covering ambulance/medicine shops/medical personnel/water supply/power supply/ telecommunication, etc., or any other services/personnel as required by district administration shall be allowed during this period. Similarly, persons requiring emergency travel will be permitted.
