The Puri temple will shut down for 5 hours during the celebration of Janmashtami.

The famous Jagannath temple in Puri, India will be closed for a few hours on Friday in order to perform a special ritual on the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami. During this ritual, the deity, Lord Jagannath, will take on a maternal form and give birth to Sri Krishna, one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. According to a statement released by the temple authorities on Thursday, the doors of the temple will remain closed to the public from 7 pm to 12 midnight on September 4.

This is to allow for the proper observation of the sacred ritual, which is a significant part of the temple's culture and tradition. On the eve of the ritual, Lord Jagannath is offered a special dish called 'Jeuta Bhog'. This dish is known for its medicinal properties and is believed to help ease the labor pains of the deity, who is considered the mother of all ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, including Sri Krishna, Sri Ram, and Lord Balaram.

Dr. Bhaskar Mishra, a researcher in Shree Jagannath culture, explained the significance of this offering. He stated that Lord Jagannath is worshipped as Maha Vishnu, the Supreme Lord, and is offered Jeuta Bhog the night before Sri Ram Navami and Janmashtami.

Pandit Suryanarayan Rathsharma, an authority in Jagannath culture, added that a special aarti is performed for Lord Jagannath after the Jeuta Bhog offering. This is because the deity is believed to be pregnant with Sri Krishna at this time. Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, shared his insights on Lord Jagannath's significance.

He stated that the deity is considered the creator of all his avatars and is both male and female. As the origin of the universe, Lord Jagannath is worshipped by all for his role in giving birth to all living beings. It is because of this significance that the birthdays of all ten avatars are celebrated at the Jagannath temple.

The Gajapati Maharaja also mentioned that the temple will be observing the 'Krushna Janma Niti' ritual, and therefore, there will be a temporary suspension of public darshan from 7 pm to 12 midnight. While the main celebrations for Janmashtami will take place on September 4, the festivities will continue the following day with Nandotsav, which marks the beginning of the traditional Krishna Leela rituals. This is a joyous occasion for all devotees of Lord Jagannath, and it is believed that participating in these rituals brings blessings and good fortune.

In conclusion, the Jagannath temple in Puri, India, holds great cultural and religious significance, and the celebration of Janmashtami is just one of the many beautiful rituals observed at this sacred site. As the Odisha POST - Odisha's No.1 English Daily puts it, the Jagannath temple is truly a place of faith, devotion, and spirituality.