Rath Yatra: Servitors Debarred From Accepting Donation From Devotees

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has debarred Daitapati servitors from accepting any donation from the devotees during Rath Yatra in Puri slated for July 14.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, SJITA chief administrator Pradipta Mohapatra said the temple administration, acting on the directive of the Supreme Court, has decided to debar the servitors from accepting any form of donation, either cash or kind, from the devotees during Rath Yatra.

“To implement the directive of the apex court, the temple administration had issued public notice requesting the devotees not to give donation to the servitors in the temple. Besides, the servitors were warned of action for violation of the apex court order,” he said.

He, however, said if any devotee is willing to donate, he/she has to put the donation in the hundi (donation box).

“For the collection of the donation, it has been decided that four hundis each would be put up in the three chariots of the Lords and six more inside the Gundicha temple,” Mohapatra added.