PURI: The ‘Banakalagi’ (facial) of the Trinity could not be performed on Thursday as the stand-off between Dattamahapatra servitors and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) continued over the conduct of the ritual.
This is the third consecutive week after Niladri Bije that the Banakalagi ritual of the three deities has not been conducted in Srimandir. The stalemate continues with the Dattamahapatra servitors insisting that the ritual be conducted on Thursdays while the SJTA wants it to be performed on Wednesdays.
On the day, SJTA chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das said after holding discussions with other servitor bodies, it was decided that the temple sub-committee on rituals will examine the problem and resolve the issue at an emergency meeting to be held on Friday. If Dattamahapatra servitors fail to implement the decision of the sub-committee, disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against them as per the temple act.
Das said the SJTA issued notices to Dattamahapatra servitors twice, asking them to perform the ritual every Wednesday. But they did not pay any heed. A show-cause notice was also issued to them but their reply was not satisfactory. “Servitors should perform their duties as per the temple directive,” he added.
President of Dattamahapatra Nijog Madan Dattamahapatra said on the day, the servitors went to the temple to perform Banakalagi but were prevented by temple officials. “We also met the chief administrator with the request to allow us to render our services. However, he asked us to perform the ritual on Wednesday. As per records and practice, Banakalagi Seva can be performed either on Wednesday or Thursday. Why is the administration adamant on holding it on Wednesdays?” he questioned.
Madan said there are extra rituals like ‘Naxatra Bandapana’ which will be performed next Wednesday. There will be little time to perform Banakalagi ritual on the day. Sources privy to the affairs of Srimandir said the stalemate over Banakalagi ritual might end at the temple managing committee meeting scheduled on August 1.