Two Servitors Engage In Clash Over Sale Of Flag Inside Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri: In an unpleasant incident, two Sevayats (servitors) were engaged in a fight over sale of Patitapaban Bana (flag) atop Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri on Tuesday.

As per tradition, Chunera servitors have been assigned the responsibility of climbing to the top of the temple to bring down the old flag and hoist a new one. They can also sell small pieces of the flag to the devotees coming to the temple.

On Tuesday, a Mekap servitor was found selling a piece of the flag to some visitors on the temple premises. Taking opposition to it, a senior Chunera servitor confronted him and tried to stop him from selling the flag.

This led to heated exchange of words between the two servitors. Soon they were engaged in a clash and exchanged blows at each other inside the temple.

Later, both servitors filed complaints against each other at Singhadwar (Lions Gate) police station in front of the temple. The police have registered the cases and started investigation.

Meanwhile, Chunera servitors have demanded the temple administration to take a finalise the responsibility of hoisting the flag. They have threatened to desist from their duty till the decision is taken. But the temple administration has remained silent on the issue.