Puri: Amid opposition from religious bodies, a member of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) has urged the authorities to refrain from the practice of keeping the 12th century shrine in Odisha’s Puri open at midnight to mark the English New Year.
SJTMC member Mahesh Kumar Sahu has described the practice of keeping the Temple open and the sibling deities awake at midnight as against Sanatan Hindu traditions.
He has written to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, and Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Padhee, raising objections to the practice.
Expressing strong reservations over the practice of opening the temple during the intervening night of December 31 and January 1, he said it is “non-Sanatani” and incompatible with the long-established religious ethos of the shrine.
He pointed out that Shree Jagannath is the Aradhya Devata of Sanatani Hindus and worshipped strictly in accordance with prescribed rituals laid down in Sanatan scriptures. The midnight opening of the temple on January 1, a date rooted in the Gregorian calendar, does not align with these religious principles, he said.
The practice introduced in recent years has repeatedly sparked resentment among religious leaders and organisations dedicated to protecting Hindu customs and traditions, Sahu said, adding that objections have been raised every year, reflecting widespread concern within the religious community.
Describing the matter as highly sensitive, the SJTMC member urged the authorities to ensure that the daily nitis (rituals) of the deities are performed strictly as per tradition. He stressed that the deities should not be kept awake during night hours for celebrations associated with the English New Year.
