BHUBANESWAR: No rituals were carried out in the Lingaraj temple for the second consecutive day even as the Endowment department called for a meeting with the agitating servitors of Brahmana and Puja Panda nijogs on Thursday.
The assistant commissioner of the department held separate discussions with heads of Brahmana, Puja Panda and Badu nijogs. As the meetings remained inconclusive, the Khurda collector has been asked to take steps to restore normalcy in the temple at the earliest. He was also asked to make an alternative arrangement to resume the rituals if the servitors do not agree to do so.
Rituals at the 11th-century shrine have been disrupted since Wednesday by Brahman nijog and Puja Panda nijog servitors who are accusing Badu nijog servitors of illegally constructing a market complex on 2 acres of land belonging to Lord Lingaraj near Gangua bridge. Refuting the allegation, servitors of Badu nijog said erstwhile kings had donated 4.9 acres of land at Nuagaon Mouza to them for doing ‘seva’ and ‘niti’ of Lord Lingaraj and they have records of the same.