The district administration has banned Saturday’s Diwali celebration near the Lions Gate of Jagannath Temple. No devotee is permitted to the Lions Gate space to offer holy lamps to deities.
The administration has only allowed the temple surrounding spaces such as West, North and South Gates for devotees for celebration, but they cannot light ghee candles and jute sticks complying with the Covid guidelines.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has also banned ‘Paya Shraddha’ at Bindusagar lake and in front of the Lingaraj Temple on the occasion of Diwali.
The decision has been taken in view of restrictions imposed by the Government on large religious congregation to ensure public safety in the Covid situation.