Puri Jagannath Temple to Open at 2 AM on New Year

Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will open its doors at 2 am on January 1, 2026, to facilitate devotees wishing to seek blessings of Lord Jagannath and his siblings on the occasion of the New Year.

Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Kumar Padhee, said the decision was taken keeping in view the large influx of devotees expected on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. He informed that the ritual schedule, including the Pahili Bhoga, has already been finalised.

As per the approved timetable, the Ratri Pahuda ritual will be performed at 11 pm on December 31, following which the Dwaraphita ritual will take place at 2 am on January 1, allowing devotees early access to the shrine.

Padhee said the early opening of the temple aims to ensure smooth darshan and avoid inconvenience to devotees. Necessary arrangements have been made by the temple administration to ensure safety, security, and proper crowd management.

Meanwhile, the Puri police on Monday issued a traffic advisory ahead of Zero Hour celebrations on December 31, 2025, and the New Year 2026. To ensure smooth vehicular movement and effective crowd control, as many as 60 platoons of police personnel will be deployed across the pilgrim town during the festive period.