Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Saturday issued notices to the Presidents and Secretaries of all Sevayat Nijogs (servitor bodies) of the 12th century shrine in Puri seeking their views on the controversy surrounding the newly-built shrine at Digha in West Bengal.
The Niti Administrator of SJTA also issued a notice to Ramkrushna Das Mahapatra, Secretary of the Daitapati Nijog, in connection with his comments to a Bengali news channel regarding the Digha Jagannath Temple.
The Nijogs have been asked to submit their response in writing with the Niti Administrator by 5 pm on Sunday.
The notice states that any official or servitor of the Puri shrine making public statements on sensitive religious or administrative matters must first report such information to the temple authority. This directive is being seen as a step to ensure discipline, avoid misinformation, and protect the sanctity of the 12th-century shrine.
A raging controversy has cropped up over the naming of the new Jagannath temple in Digha, which has drawn criticism for potentially misusing sacred symbols and practices originally belonging to Puri’s Shree Jagannath Temple. Authorities are also probing whether sacred Daru, used in Nabakalebara rituals, has been misappropriated in the process.
The SJTA has called a meeting with all Nijoga presidents and secretaries tomorrow to discuss the Digha Jagannath temple and the controversies surrounding it.
The SJTA has swung into action following instruction from the Law Minister to conduct an investigation into the entire episode. The temple administration is likely to question Ramakrishna Das Mahapatra about his statement to Bengal TV channels about Nabakalebar wood.
Meanwhile, the Chhattisa Nijog has strongly protested the term ‘Jagannath Dham’ used by the West Bengal government for the new shrine at Digha. It termed the consecration event at Digha as a political event and urged the Odisha government to take legal steps for the withdrawal of the term Digha Jagannath Dham and to take legal action if needed.
Stating that the construction of idols using surplus Nabakalebar wood of Puri temple is not admissible, the Nijog said since the store room of Nabakalebar wood was under the supervision of a particular Nijog, the controversy arose. The SJTA should conduct a thorough inquiry and take action against the guilty as per rules, it said.
