Lakhs of devotees visiting Lord Jagannth temple at Puri will have to offer their prayers from a distance as Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will undertake repair of the crumbling Jagamohan, the hall facing the sanctum sanctorum of the 12th century temple.
"The temple's managing committee has decided to allow ASI to start repair work from January 27," Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said here today.
The repair will take at least a year, he said adding devotees would not be allowed to have darshan of the deities from close.
They will be allowed only till the outer barricade inside the temple and Sahanamela (public darshan) and Paramanika darshans (payment visit) will not be held during the repair work, Mohapatra said.
Only those servitors who have rituals to perform can enter the temple during the renovation work, he added.
