Gajapati King Dibya Singha Deb of Puri said on Saturday that there was no restriction on the entry of non-Hindus into temples of Lord Jagannath across the globe, except the 12th century shrine at Puri.
“As Puri is the original seat of the Lord, there is restriction on the entry of non-Hindus into the temple. However, they can have darshan of the Lord in other Jagannath temples elsewhere,” Mr. Deb told reporters here.
Stating that non-Hindus can pray from anywhere, he said the restriction on people belonging to other religions have continued at the Puri shrine for a long time.
Views divided
The restriction on the entry of non-Hindus has been an issue as views are divided. While ISKCON devotees had been demanding entry, the temple administration has denied permission.
Significant remark
The Puri King's remark is significant in view of the recent dharna in front of the Lion's Gate of the Puri temple by a group of foreigners seeking permission to enter the shrine.