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Puri: All four gates of Shree Jagannath temple at Puri were reopened at 6.30 am on Thursday after the ‘Mangal Alati’ ritual in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and his council of ministers. The previous BJD government had kept three out of four gates shut since the COVID-19 pandemic and devotees were allowed to enter through Singhadwara (Lion Gate) while the west gate was opened only for local residents, often leading to overcrowding on the temple premises.

Reopening of the gates was among the decisions taken in first Cabinet meeting of the BJP-led state government. It was also a key promise in the the party’s election manifesto. There are two lions statues at this east-facing gate in the crouching position with crowns on their head.



The lion is a symbolic representation of Mokskya. Hence is is popularly said that if you enter in the temple through this gate, you will attain mokshya. Earlier, the untouchables who were not allowed to go inside the temple used to offer their prayers to Patitapavana (Jagannath) remaining outside the Simhadwara.

22 flights of steps (Baisipahacha) from the eastern gateway lead to the inner enclosure. The idols of Kasi-Biswanath, Ramachandra, Nursimha and Ganesh have been installed on the southern side of the Baisipahacha. Parents often make their children slowly roll over the steps in expectation of spiritual bliss.

In front of the entrance there is the beautiful Sun Pillar (Aruna Stambha), which originally stood befo.

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