The historic Gundicha Temple in Puri, revered as the birthplace of Lord Jagannath, will reopen to devotees on December 1, 2025, after remaining closed for more than five years.
Puri District Collector Dibyajyoti Parida announced the decision, confirming that all necessary arrangements have been made for smooth darshan.
The temple has been closed to the public since 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Even after the pandemic, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) continued repair and renovation work, which prolonged the closure. Consequently, thousands of Jagannath devotees from across India and abroad were unable to visit the sanctum and the sacred Adapa Mandap inside Gundicha Temple.
Authorities have now completed the renovation and cleared encroachments around the temple premises. Moreover, SJTA will directly manage Gundicha Temple operations instead of outsourcing them through tenders. In addition, discussions are underway regarding whether a ticketed entry system will be introduced for darshan.
To ensure convenience for devotees, the administration has begun setting up facilities such as cloakrooms, first-aid centres, and ticket counters. Furthermore, officials confirmed that a detailed guideline will be issued to streamline crowd management, sanitation, and security measures.
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