PURI: The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee on Friday came up with five important projects for the welfare of servitor families and development of facilities around Jagannath and Gundicha temples.
It was decided to impart Gurukul form of education to the children of servitors and provide scholarship to those opting for higher education like engineering, medical, MBA and MCA etc. For the construction of Adarsh Gurukuls, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has identified 12 acres of land and work would begin soon, said Krishan Kumar, Chief Administrator of SJTA.
A sub-committee had been constituted to work out the project, Kumar said. The free Adarsh Gurukul education would follow CBSE pattern up to Class XII. Apart from CBSE syllabus, they would be trained in traditional temple nitees and rituals to enable them to perform their religious duty. The space around Jagannath and Gundicha temples would be aesthetically developed as heritage corridor along with provision for pilgrim amenities.
The temple administration, which legally owns all endowment property of mutts, also discussed the displacement of commercial shop operators from mutts and their rehabilitation. The Collector has been given the power to take the decision for suitable rehabilitation and resettlement. It was also resolved to develop Jagannath Ballav mutt into a modern religious park. A new body ‘Mutt Mandir Sanskruti Samiti’ has been formed for better coordination between the temple and the mutts.
The proposals would be sent to State Government for approval with a plea to incorporate these in ongoing mega development projects announced by the Chief Minister to ensure the security of the temple and develop the town as an international place of heritage. The temple body expressed concern over the celebration of annual Rath Yatra on different dates in India and other countries violating the religious tenets. It was resolved to initiate steps to ensure that the Rath Yatra is celebrated on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya.
Efforts would be made to sensitise organising bodies to maintain uniformity in holding nitees and rituals of the Trinity. The temple body further resolved to sell the temple land through e-auction and sale proceeds would be deposited in temple corpus fund. Puri king Dibyasingha Deb, the ex officio chairman of the temple body, presided the meeting attended by the Chief Administrator, Collector Balwant Singh, SP Umashankar Dash, member officials of Law and other concerned departments besides servitor members.
Decisions taken
Gurukul form of education for children of servitors
Scholarship for those opting for higher education
12 acre land for Adarsh Gurukuls
Space around Jagannath and Gundicha temples to be developed as heritage corridor
Jagannath Ballav mutt to be developed into a modern religious parkSale of temple land
through e-auction