Puri Jagannath Temple Servitor Body Opposes ‘Untimely Banajaga Yatra’ In Odisha’s Dhenkanal

Puri: The Banajaga Yatra, the Nabakalebara ritual of the idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings at Sharana Srikshetra in Dhenkanal’s Ekagharia, was stopped on Monday following opposition by Daitapati Nijog of Puri Srimandir.

The Daitapati Nijog members met Collector Samarth Verma and SP Vishal Dev to register their protest. They had filed an FIR at Singhadwar police station in Puri on Sunday in this regard. They termed the event ‘untimely’ and against the tradition of Jagannath temple of Puri.

Stating that all rituals related to Lord Jagannath as held as per Puri Srimandir  worldwide, the Nijog functionaries said Nabakalebra and associated Banajaga Yatra too was being held as per the same tradition and any violation of the rules will not be tolerated.

Nijog president Ramakrushna Das Mohapatra said strict action should be taken against the temple authorities by the district administration. “We will seek intervention by the district authorities, the Chief Minister and Gajapati Maharaj. We want the government to bring a law on this so that nobody can break the rules in the future and the untimely Rath Yatras and Nabakalebaras are stopped,” he said.

Soon after the protest, the Banajaga Yatra ritual was stopped and the Chief Priest of Sharan Srikshetra has also apologised to the Srimandir nijog.

The Nijog members stated that Nabakalebara of the Srimandir siblings is held as per the dates mentioned in Madala Panji. The timing is followed by Jagannath temples around the world, they added.