Odisha Lawyer Moves SC, Suggests Rath Yatra Modalities To CM

Cuttack: Even as the Supreme Court on Monday, is hearing multiple petitions seeking a partial modification of its earlier order on Rath Yatra in Puri, one of the petitioners and senior lawyer Mrinalini Padhi in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has suggested modalities for the conduct of the mega festival.

“In my humble opinion the state government, under your able leadership, had probably not planned to have a congregation of devotees at all during the Rath Yatra for this year. A few days back, the Snana Purnima was conducted smoothly with the devotees. Keeping this in mind, your government had ordered the construction of the three chariots which have been completed in time. We, as a people, cannot understand the language of the law which has struck with full velocity. The people belonging to the lowest strata of the society are now the victims of the majesty of the law,” Padhi said.

She has suggested the following proposals to the Chief Minister for the conduct of the  Rath Yatra with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.

—There shall be no devotees apart from sevayats, temple administrators, security, and medical personnel.
—Arrangements for complete national and international media coverage of the festival.
— The deities should be taken in Pahandi (procession) and installed in the chariots outside the temple.
— The Gajapati Maharaja should perform all rituals atop the chariots.
— There should be no pulling of the chariots and all rituals of the Gundicha temple should be done atop the chariots by the sevayats.
— The Suna Besha (golden attire) and all rituals should be done on the chariots and the deities should be taken inside the main temple later.