People wearing half-pants, shorts, ripped jeans, skirts, and sleeveless dresses would be denied access to the iconic Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri, authorities said on Monday, news agency PTI reported. To enter the temple, devotees would be expected to wear "decent clothes" that are not exposing, they claimed. Men were observed entering the 12th-century sanctuary wearing dhotis and 'gamchas' as the new regulation took effect, while ladies were primarily seen wearing sarees or salwar kameez.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has requested hotels to inform visitors about the dress code because most pilgrims arrive into the temple from there, according to authorities.
The SJTA has also upped its vigilance against chewing gutkha and pan within the temple, as well as the usage of plastic bags, which has been prohibited.
The temple opens its doors to devotees as early as 1.40 a.m. to meet the throng on New Year's Day, and around 3.5 lakh people visited the shrine till 5 p.m., according to the SJTA.
Extensive preparations were taken to ensure that no unfortunate occurrence occurred at the temple, which is home to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra.
The air-conditioned tensile fabric structure created outside the temple became operational in the morning.
The facility has been outfitted with amenities such as drinking water and public restrooms, as well as CCTV cameras and public announcement systems. There are additional seating arrangements in it.
According to police, the number of devotees attending the temple on New Year's Day this year was double that of previous year.
The increased enthusiasm was due to people wanting to see the temple's refurbished surroundings as a result of the historic corridor project, which is nearly finished and will be inaugurated on January 17, according to SJTA chief administrator Ranjan Das on Sunday.
The town has also implemented traffic limits. According to authorities, the area between Market Chakka and Singhadwara (major gate) on Badadanda has been declared a "no vehicle zone," and cars have been prohibited on the seaside route from Digabareni to the lighthouse.
Pan and tobacco products are also prohibited within the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar.