PURI: The directive of Orissa High Court to find out an alternative system to pull the chariots has left the servitors of Sri Jagannath temple confused.The HC directed the State Government to consider deploying machinery or other means like elephants for pulling the chariots to prevent the necessity of involving large number of persons in the Rath Yatra.
While the Government is likely to take a call in this regard soon as Rath Yatra is only eight days away, the Daitapatis and other nijogs (sections of servitor bodies) are holding meetings on various aspects of the festival including the pulling of chariots, said Binayak Dasmahapatra, a senior Daitapati.
The servitor associations said if allowed by the administration, they would pull the chariots along with police personnel by adhering to the coronavirus guidelines but the HC directive has created uncertainty.
The administration is planning to organise Rath Yatra without the participation of devotees but with a minimum number of servitors along with police personnel. Earlier, several servitor bodies had submitted lists of their members aged between 18 to 50 years, to the temple administration for participation in the Rath yatra.
While servitors are anxiously waiting for the decision of the State Government, the devotees are not opposed to the use of elephants in chariot pulling. However, they are averse to use of machines.
Meanwhile, the Trinity is being administered herbal drugs by the temple Vaidya (physician) and kept on fruit diet in the Anasar Ghar. The deities are expected to recover a day before the annual festival.
The chariot construction work is also nearing completion and the administration has stepped up activities to host the grand event on June 23. The administration has prepared a tentative programme for the ‘Pahandi’ of the deities, Chherapahanra and pulling of the chariots.
On the other hand, the administration of Sri Jagannath temple and the district is anxiously waiting for the decision of Supreme Court on the conduct of Rath Yatra this year. The president of Odisha Bikash Parishad approached the apex court to stop Rath Yatra this year as both Odisha and the country are reeling under the coronavirus pandemic. The final hearing on the matter will take place on Monday.