
BHUBANESWAR: While the impasse between Badu and Mahasuara Nijogs over ‘Ghruta Kamala Lagi’ ritual in Lingaraj temple was resolved following an emergency meeting of the temple trust board on Wednesday, Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the Satwa Lipi (Record of Rights) of the shrine will be reorganised to prevent such disruptions in the future.
Both the Law minister and the temple trust board, who convened separate meetings with the servitors, also called for stringent action against those who were responsible for the disruption of rituals.
The impasse was resolved following an emergency meeting of the temple trust with the servitors which was presided over by Khurda collector Chanchal Rana. He said while the servitors have been asked to resume the rituals, the additional district magistrate (ADM) will conduct an inquiry into the issue and submit a detailed report within 24 hours based on which, strict action will be taken by the trust board against servitors found guilty of disrupting the rituals since Monday night, under the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951.
Earlier in the day, the Law minister held a meeting with the servitors, Law secretary, Endowments commissioner and the Khurda collector to discuss the issue but it remained inconclusive. The minister informed that the servitors brought to fore certain issues in the legal aspects of the Satwa Lipi of the Lingaraj temple due to which, there is frequent infighting among them over ownership of rituals.
He informed that a single-member commission will be appointed by the state government to look into these legal issues in the Satwa Lipi. “This commission will be headed by a retired judge of Orissa High Court who will interact with all nijogs of the temple, check their legal documents and look into what the precedence has been in the temple. Accordingly, he will submit a draft for reorganising the Record of Rights and Endowments commissioner will take steps to implement it,” Harichandan said.
Urging the servitors to reach out to the temple trust board over any conflict situation, the minister further said no ritual of Lord Lingaraj can be disrupted over disagreements among servitors.
Lord Lingaraj remained hungry since Monday night after a dispute erupted between the Mahasuara and Badu servitors over the conduct of the ‘Ghruta Kamala Lagi’ ritual on Makar Sankranti. The incident took place when the ‘Shree Mukha’ of Lord Lingaraj was brought outside the sanctum sanctorum and seated atop the Makara Mandap near Bhubaneswari temple within the premises. Following the dispute, the deity was seated there without any food for over 24 hours.