Akshay Tritiya ritual to be observed inside Puri Jagannath temple
BHUBANESWAR: Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Friday advised Jagannath temple administration to observe auspicious Akshay Tritiya inside the shrine premises on April 26. The auspicious festival that marks the beginning of construction of chariots for Rath Yatra cannot be celebrated outside the shrine in view of Covid-19 pandemic, the top Hindu seer said.
“I advised to observe the Akshay Tritiya and Chandan Yatra rituals inside the temple. To preserve our temple tradition, the construction of the chariots that is normally held outside the temple can formally start inside the shrine,” Shankaracharya said.
“Shankaracharya advised us that the temple rituals and festivals should not be disrupted. Even though we cannot host any festival outside the temple in view of lockdown restrictions, we can protect and preserve our tradition by holding the rituals inside the shrine,” Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb said.
The temple administration and senior district officials visited Shankaracharya to take his opinion on ways to safeguard the temple rituals and tradition in the wake Covid-19 outbreak.
While Rath Yatra is scheduled to be celebrated on June 23, temple officials said they would take a final decision on the fate of the world famous festival only after the nationwide lockdown is lifted on May 3. Sources said the Shankaracharya has advised to observe the Rath Yatra rituals inside the temple and suspend the iconic chariot pulling exercise on Grand Road, facing the shrine.
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