Puri: The servitors of Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri town have refused to use a rat repellent machine inside the sanctum sanctorum.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) was grappling with the rodent menace on the temple premises for some time. After a devotee came to know about the problem, he donated rat repellent machine “Earth Innovation”.
Before installing the machine inside the temple, the SJTA used it in its office to ascertain whether it was effective in putting the rats away or not. After being satisfied with the machine, the SJTA wanted to keep it in the sanctum sanctorum to keep the rodents at bay.
But the servitors refused to use it inside the temple. They raised their objection to the machine on the ground that it was making a humming noise which would disturb the deities in their sleep.
As per the tradition, when the deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra – go to sleep, total silence and darkness is maintained from the Jay Vijay Dwar (gate) to the sanctum sanctorum. All doors to the area are closed and nobody is allowed inside during the period.
Speaking to the media on the servitors’ objection, Jitendra Sahu, Niti administrator of SJTA, said they did not want to use the machine as its noise would disturb the sleep of the deities. “We held a meeting with the servitors on the use of the machine in the sanctum sanctorum. Since it produces the disturbing sound, the servitors objected to it. It was a unanimous decision not to use the rodent repellent inside the temple,” he added.
