Puri: In a significant meeting chaired by Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Dibyasingha Deb, the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee on Friday voiced strong approval over untimely Rath Yatras being organised by ISKCON outside India.
“We informed that committee about steps taken to halt untimely Rath Yatras at Hapur in Uttar Pradesh and Ferozepur in Punjab. The committee has decided to forward a resolution to the state government, requesting them to engage with the central government. A delegation from the temple committee will apprise the Prime Minister or the President on this matter after Niladri Bije of the Lords,” Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee told the media.
The schedules for the series of mega rituals, spanning from Snana Yatra to Niladri Bije, were also discussed.
Ratna Bhandar Inventory Deferred
Padhee also informed about decisions taken with regards to the inventory of Ratna Bhandar, which has been temporarily deferred due to the ongoing daily rituals of the sibling deities ahead of the Rath Yatra. “The inventorisation process will remain suspended during this period. It will resume after Niladri Bije. We will inform the government about the fresh date for resumption once the rituals are completed,” he added.
He further stated that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) mandated that all jewellery counting must take place inside the inner treasury (Bhitar Bhandar). “However, because some of the ornaments are massive, conducting their weighing, photography, and videography inside the restricted space of the inner chamber is not feasible. It was decided that these heavy valuables will be brought outside to Khata Seja Ghara (bed chamber) for counting before being returned to the inner treasury,” he said.
Intellectual Property Protection
To prevent commercial exploitation of the centuries-old heritage, the Chief Administrator confirmed that applications have been officially filed with the Indian Patent Office. The temple administration is fast-tracking the legal acquisition of official wordmarks and logos associated with the Shree Jagannath Temple to protect its intellectual property rights globally.
Progress on Sevayat Gurukul Project
The meeting also discussed the progress of the Sevayat Gurukul project. “If the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) fails to complete it within the stipulated deadline, the project will be handed over to another agency. As there is a legal dispute regarding the land meant of Sevayat Gruha Yojana, the district collector has been asked to finalise an alternate site,” Padhee said.
He further stated that the new residential colony at Masani Chandi will be named ‘Nilachakra Vihar’. “The temple administration will soon set up a dedicated PR Wing, an FM channel, and a YouTube studio. A professional media team will be hired to manage these operations,” he informed.
Lastly, to ensure the timely completion of daily temple rituals, the committee decided that the Dwarapahala (opening of doors) and Mangala Alati rituals will henceforth be conducted in the early hours of dawn, he added.
