Bhubaneswar, 25 June (H.S.): Public darshan at the sacred Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri will remain suspended for five hours on Thursday afternoon in view of the annual Rukmini Harana Ekadashi rituals.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has made elaborate arrangements for the ceremonial wedding of Lord Madanmohan, the Chalanti Pratima (representative deity) of Lord Jagannath, with Goddess Rukmini, one of the important rituals observed during the festival.

According to the temple administration, general entry and public darshan of the deities will remain closed from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM to facilitate the smooth conduct of the sacred marriage ceremony and associated rituals.

Officials said the temporary restriction is necessary to allow sevayats to perform the traditional and time-bound wedding rituals inside the temple without disruption. The ceremonies form an integral part of the temple’s religious calendar and attract significant spiritual importance among devotees.

Following the completion of the afternoon rituals and the divine wedding ceremony, the temple gates will be reopened for devotees. Public darshan will then resume under the temple's regulated guidelines and continue into the evening.

The SJTA has appealed to devotees to plan their visits accordingly and cooperate with the arrangements made for the successful conduct of the festival rituals.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda