Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on 12 June announced that all four gates of Jagannath temple will open for devotees from 13 June.
- The announcement came after the first cabinet meeting of the new BJP government.
- All doors of the centuries-old temple were shut during the Covid pandemic. Later, the devotees were allowed to enter the temple through Simhadwara, while other gates remained closed, resulting in huge rush and long queues.
- Puri’s Jagannath temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Jagannath, believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu, along with his older brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. It is one of the chardhams, four of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus, and thus sees heavy footfall.
- The four gates of the Jagannath temple are located on the mid-points of its boundary wall, and face the four cardinal directions. They are named after different animals.
- These four gates are – Simhadwara (Lion Gate), Ashwadwara (Horse Gate), Vyaghradwara (Tiger Gate), Hastidwara (Elephant Gate).
- One of the oldest Hindu temples to still be in use, its main shrine was built by Anantavarman of the Chodaganga dynasty in the tenth century.
- The temple consisted of two structure, known as Vimana or Deula (sanctum sanctorium or Garbha Griha) and Jagamohan or Mukhasala (porch).
- The temple, which in the 19th century, recognised by European sailors as the “white pagoda”, now proudly displays the natural colours of the khondalite stone that had been used by Anantavarma to construct the home of the Lord in the 10th century.
