Puri: A 72-ft tall chariot in Odisha’s Keonjhar district has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest Rath Yatra chariot. The feat, however, has sparked a row with several outfits criticising it as a violation of tradition.
Now, Puri King Dibyasingha Deb, considered the first servitor of the Lords, too has spoken on the controversy. According to Gajapati Maharaj, there should not be any deviation from tradition as Puri is the “moola peetha”.
“So far I have not received any official communication but as far as my knowledge is concerned, Purushottam Keshtra has been accorded the highest importance. As per tradition, no chariot should be constructed above the height of the chariot of Puri Jagannath temple,” he said.
According to him, in the past also, all kings and the temples under their control ensured that their chariots did not exceed the height of the chariots in Puri. “Puri is the ‘moola peetha’ and others should follow tradition accordingly. Any deviation is not acceptable,” he said.
