400 priests of Puri Jagannath temple tests positive for COVID-19

At least 351 servitors and 53 employees of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri have tested positive for COVID-19. “While nine of these patients have succumbed to the virus, 16 are undergoing treatment at the Covid-19 hospital in Odisha’s capital city Bhubaneswar,” Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Administrator (Development) Ajay Kumar Jena said. As most of the servitors who tested positive are in home isolation, there is a shortage of servitors to perform rituals.There is no disruption in rituals at the temple so far, said one servitor, who is also a member of the temple’s managing committee. The majority of servitors, however, do not want the temple to be reopened before the end of November owing to the safety of their communities, Ajay Kumar Jena added.

Notably, the Odisha government has submitted these details in a counter-affidavit to the Orissa High Court over its unwillingness to open the gates of temples for devotees amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “Of 822 samples collected from servitors/officials of Puri Srimandir, 379 have tested positive for Covid-19. Despite the grim situation, rituals of Lord Jagannath are underway without pause, but these may be disrupted in case of more infection,” the counter-affidavit stated. Officials said a dedicated ambulance equipped with a ventilator will be provided for the servitors while two teams will ensure that servitors who have been infected follow the home isolation guidelines effectively. The Puri district administration will strictly enforce the Covid-19 guidelines by making masks compulsory for anyone seen within the vicinity of the temple. Temple officials said the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to cast its shadow on the Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath scheduled to be held in November this year. The Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath will happen after a gap of 26 years.