Temple administration issues notice to Daitapatis

Rajkumar MohantyPuri, June 18: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration today issued notice to the four Badagrahi Daitapatis entrusted to conduct the Ghata Parivartan (transfer of holy Brahmas) of the deities that was scheduled for the Monday midnight to explain the cause of delay.The earlier notice issued by the Temple Administration to the president and secretary of the Daitapati Nijog on Tuesday to explain the delay remained unanswered.Brahma Parivartan as per the Nabakalebara manual was to be performed on the Monday midnight but was done the next day (16th June) afternoon flouting the established norms for this important ritual.This has shocked devotees and they have blamed the Daitapatis and the temple administration and demanded a thorough probe into it and to take stringent action against the persons found guilty.The temple too issued notices to ten Biswakarmas engaged in the carving of the images of four deities on four Darus in the Koili Baikuntha to explain the delay.Earlier, Bijay Mahapatra and Krushna Maharana both senior Biswakarmas during shaping of idols had informed the temple administration frequent interference by a number of Daitas stalling the work for nearly three hours.The administration did not take any action to facilitate smooth running of the work, they had said.Meanwhile, it is learnt that Haladhar Dasmahapatra, the Badagrahi of Balabhadra had filed a written statement as to the cause of the delay and identified the persons responsible for the delay.Earlier, Dasmahapatra who was heading the Banajag team had alleged that two Daitas belonging to the ruling party had misbehaved with him and other Badagrahi Daitapatis when their attempt to enter into the Brahma Parivartan Gruha was denied.They allegedly roughed up Dasmahapatra and others.This led to a delay of over four hours, Dasmahapatra reported to the temple administration in his written statement.In a statement Jagatguru Shankaracharya of Puri Gobardhan Peeth from Delhi had blamed the Sevayats and the temple administration for this blunder.He said the administrator should not interfere into the religious matters of the temple.The Gajapati King, the foremost temple servitor and chairperson of the temple managing body in an interview to a television channel said he too is in shock and condemned this act of Daitas.He said this reflects to what extent the situation in the temple affairs have deteriorated and the servitors did not even spare Lord Jagannath in his prime service (Brahma Parivartan).He decried promoting political vote bank in the temple by the political parties.The Gajapati said Jagannath is for all devotees and all political parties and the service to lord should not be done under political consideration rather everybody should render service for the lord in a unified manner.Maheswar Mohanty, chairperson of the Nabakalebara Infrastructure Development Committee said in a statement said though the rituals did not come under his purview he is shocked over this incident.Mohanty expressed hope that the investigation initiated by the temple administration would identify the persons and appropriate action would be taken against them.