Puri, Apr 20: The Jagannath temple in Puri will remain closed for the devotees for five hours between 5 PM to 10 PM on Monday, informed the temple administration.

The decision was taken following the conduct of significant rituals i.e 'Paita Lagi Niti' of Holy Trinity that falls on the Baisakha: Krishna Ashtami tomorrow.

Paita Lagi Niti is a secret Hindu ritual performed at the Puri Jagannath Temple. It involves a ritualistic exchange of sacred threads (paita) with the deity, Lord Jagannath, and his siblings. This is a significant ritual, especially before the Rath Yatra, and is conducted by the Daitapati Sebayats.

During the ritual, darshan is restricted, and the temple remains closed for a few hours.

On the other hand, preparations are underway for the highly anticipated Akshaya Tritiya celebrations on April 30. The renowned "Rath Yatra" construction will also commence alongside the vibrant 21-day-long Chandana Yatra—a hallmark festival dedicated to Lord Jagannath.

The final ritual schedules have been discussed and approved during the Chhatisaniyog Committee meeting led by the Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee. To streamline darshan and rituals, special arrangements have also been finalised.

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