PURI: The newly-formed Shree Jagannath Temple managing committee on Wednesday decided to implement Dhadi Darshan (queue system) for devotees in the Nata Mandap of the Srimandir.
After the first meeting of the panel, chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee informed through a press release that the queue system will be introduced on an experimental basis to identify shortcomings in its implementation.
This new system and elevated platforms would help devotees have easy darshan of the Trinity. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had given a green signal for its introduction.
The superintending archaeologist informed the meeting that the ASI has cleared the proposal for air-conditioning of the Nata Mandap. The state government would formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) before the installation of ACs, said Padhee.
A proposal to allow differently-abled and elderly devotees to use the ramp at the north gate of the temple was also discussed. A committee has been formed to formulate the policy and operation procedure for entry of Dibyangs and elderly devotees for darshan of the Trinity, he said.
The meeting also discussed the untimely observance of several rituals of Shree Jagannath Temple and Rath Yatra by ISKCON. Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb had informed the ISKCON authorities at Mayapur to stop such practices which were against the religious tenets of Jagannath culture. The Puri king and the SJTA chief will hold a press meet on September 16 on the issue.
The meeting also strongly objected to the use of traditional terms like Dhama, Abhada, etc at inappropriate places.
“During the recent visit of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to Srimandir, we approached him to place a few sacred wheels of the Raths on the Parliament premises,” said Padhee.
The SJTA chief further informed that 14 sub-committees were formed for smooth management of the temple affairs. Besides, four statutory sub-committees on finance, rituals, Ratna Bhandar and appeal have been formed. These include the sub-committee on security headed by ex-CAG Girish Chandra Murmu.
