PURI: The proposal of a Sri Jagannath temple managing committee to arrange online darshan of the Trinity for devotees was met with stiff opposition from the servitors on Friday. The servitors outrightly rejected the proposal which was placed by temple managing committee member Ramachandra Dasmahapatra during the virtual conference of Chief Administrator of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Dr Krishan Kumar with business associations, lawyers, academicians and senior servitors seeking views on reopening of Srimandir for devotees on the day.
Opposing any plans to install CCTV cameras and use of mobile phones in the temple’s Garba Gruha to facilitate devotees to have darshan of the deities from outside, senior servitor Rajat Kumar Pratihary said many secret services are being performed daily in the sanctum sanctorum like Banaklaagi, puja, offering of bhog and other rituals daily which outsiders should not witness. It would be encroachment of privacy of the deities, he said.
At the conference, as many as 21 persons including representatives of hotel, bus and auto-rickshaw associations participated in the discussions. While members of the servitor bodies voiced their opposition to reopening of the shrine anytime soon in view of the Covid-19 situation, business associations pleaded to open the temple at the earliest with Covid-19 guidelines citing their worsening economic condition.
President of Simhadwar business association Jasobant Patra said the temple should be reopened soon as Puri’s economy depends on tourists and pilgrims. Others who supported reopening of the shrine included president of bus owners’ association Loknath Pani and hotel association of Puri chief Rajkishore Patra.Former director of Bhasa Pratisthan Kailash Chandra Tikayat Ray said till a decision is taken to reopen the temple, devotees should be allowed to go up to Aruna Stambha to offer prayers to Patitapaban, the image of Lord Jagannath. Former diplomat Malay Mishra said the decision to unlock Srimandir should be taken after observing the Covid situation for the greater interest of people.
However, members of the temple managing committee Madhab Mahapatra and Ramchandra Dasmahapatra opined that the temple should not be reopened for devotees now since the Covid situation is grim and over 500 servitors have been infected. So far, more than a dozen died of servitors have succumbed to the virus.Earlier, the SJTA chief had interacted with office bearers of Daitapati, Chunara, Paniapat, Akhand Mekap, Sudhasuar and Muduli, the eight nijogs of the temple. He had also sought opinion of pundits of Mukti Mandap on the issue of reopening the temple. Kumar would place his report before the temple managing committee and Chhatisha nijog for a detailed discussion. The resolutions taken by the temple body would be sent to the State Government for approval.
Ayurvedic Covid kits for servitors
Puri: Servitors of Sri Jagannath temple will be provided Ayurvedic Covid-19 kits, administrator (development) AK Jena said on Friday. As many as 10,000 kits would be provided to 9,556 servitors belonging to 2,200 families. On the day, doctors of Puri-based Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy distributed immunity boosting homoeopathic drugs among servitors. The drugs are being given to servitors following request of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to the Ayush Ministry. Dr BK Mishra said earlier, servitors were given Arsenic Album thrice to boost their immunity. This is the fourth time servitors are being given the drug.