PURI: Social activists and scholars have expressed reservations about the suggestion made by the Orissa High Court to try alternative methods like machines or elephants for pulling the chariots during Rath Yatra. Environmentalist Jagannath Bastia, in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said elephant is protected animal under Schedule-1 of Wildlife Protection Act. Its use in the festival would cause mental strain on the animal and may also result in a mishap. He urged the Chief Minister to ensure elephants are not used to pull the chariots of the Trinity during the festival.
Noted scholar Dr Surendra Mishra said kings used elephants in wars and during the regime of Gajapati Kapilendra Deb, the gentle giants were used for pulling the chariots and other rituals like Chandan Yatra.
“There were two huge elephant shelters (haatishalas) in the town and the animals were used for pulling the chariots till 1969. Elephants were then used for the ‘chhera pahanra’ ritual.
The practice was stopped after an elephant named Gangaram went berserk and trampled a devotee. The administration had to kill it. In another incident, an elephant named Laxmi from Uttar Pradesh fell ill during its journey to the town. The temple administration had to pay for its treatment,” he said. The temple administration is waiting for the decision of the Supreme Court on the matter.
Jagannath temple flag damaged in heavy rains
Puri: Heavy rains lashed the pilgrim town on Monday for an hour flooding several low lying areas including a portion of Bada Danda (Grand Road). Even as the flag and bamboo mast of Nilachakra of Sri Jagannath Temple were damaged due to strong winds, all rituals were suspended till a small flag was hoisted by a chunara servitor. As per the temple manual, no ritual or nitee can be performed in the absence of the flag on Nilachakra. The rain also flooded the Rathakhala but had little effect on the construction of the chariots, which has almost been completed.