Jagannath Temple Sevayat Body Urges State Government To Conduct Rath Jatra Under Lockdown Guidelines

Puri: Amid the uncertainty over the Rath Jatra in Puri, scheduled on June 23, due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Daitapati Nijog (a body of sevayats) of the Shree Jagannath temple has proposed that the Odisha government conduct the annual sojourn of the Lords with lockdown guidelines.

The Nijog has said in a letter that the grand festival of the Lords, which was held even during the great famine in Odisha in 1866, the flu pandemic in 1918 and the Sepoy mutiny in 1857, can be conducted amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Briefing the media on Wednesday, Nijog secretary Durga Dasmohapatra said that the state government can conduct the festival by sealing all entry points in Puri to prevent the footfall of devotees.

“As the festival of the Lords is deeply attached to the sentiments of the Hindus, we have requested the state government to conduct the festival to maintain the tradition of the temple. The government should conduct coronavirus tests of the Daitapati sevayats who will perform all the rituals. We also request the people of Odisha to watch the festival on TV from their home. However, it is up to the government to take a call,” he added.

He also said that the Daitapati Nijog will have a meeting with the Puri Gajapati Maharaja and the Gobardhan Peeth Sankaracharya.