BHUBANESWAR: Rituals at Lingaraj temple were stalled on Wednesday by the Brahman nijog and Puja Panda nijog servitors over alleged encroachment of a piece of land belonging to Lord Lingaraj near Gangua bridge by Badu nijog members.
‘Mangala Alati’ could not be performed as sevayats of both the nijogs remained absent. ‘Bhoga Lagi’ was also not performed on the day. The bone of contention is a patch of two acre land near Gangua where the Badu nijog servitors have been constructing a market complex having 18 shops for the last five years. In 2019, the Endowments Commission had stayed the construction owing to a complaint filed by the two nijogs on the issue.
The Badu nijog had moved the Orissa High Court, which, a week back, allowed the nijog to resume work on the market complex. Sources said construction was allowed on the ground that the Badu nijog servitors have no other source of income and on condition that they have to prove ownership of the land. Protesting this and demanding their share of Lingaraj land, the Brahmana and Puja Panda nijog members stopped the rituals.