Showcause Notice To Puri Jagannath Temple Servitors’ Body Over Disruption Of Banakalagi Ritual

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Friday issued a show-cause notice to a servitors’ body over disruption in Banakalagi ritual at Srimandir in the Pilgrim Town of Odisha. 

The notice was served on Duttamohapatra Nijog under Sections 20 and 30 of Shri Jagannath Temple Act and the body has been asked to reply within 3 days as to why the ritual was not conducted on Wednesday.

According to Srimandir Record of Rights, the ritual should be held at least four times a month. The Duttamohapatra Nijog, however, has been pressing hard to reschedule the ritual for Thursday, while the SJTA is keen on having it on Wednesdays, leading to the dispute.

The Banakalagi ritual has not been conducted since Niladri Bije (June 1), when the sibling deities returned to the sanctum sanctorum after the annual Rath Yatra.

Servitor Sanjay Duttamohapatra told the media that they would reply within two days. “The servitors’ body was prepared to conduct Banakalagi ritual on Thursday, but we did not go the ahead from the administration,” he said,

The servitor further said that the ritual of Lord Jagannath should be conducted on Monday as per the Record of Rights. “If necessary, the servitors’ body will move the court against the administration,” he added.

The servitors had earlier alleged that the once-a-week facial could not be performed since July 1 due to unavailability of herbal products required for the makeup.