Shankaracharya of Puri Swami Nischalananda Saraswati has an important role in the Rath Yatra, but he has decided to boycott the festival. What forIJ

The Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD, perhaps in 810 AD, visited Puri and established a mutt known as Govardhan Peeth. He took adequate care of the temple of Shree Jagannath, which, as per mythological narrations, was existent in this Neeladri or Blue Mountain.

The Adi Shankaracharya introduced the ritualistic procedure in the temple. He by using his inner eyes found the Trinity, lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and lord Jagannath, being kept in “Patali” in order to save the idols from invaders.

The Adi Shankaracharya informed this to the Gajapati King, and the idols were recovered and again placed in the temple. Since then, the temple rituals are done as per the Shankaracharya’s guidelines.

When present Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda received a letter from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), he felt insulted and expressed his displeasure with the Government for interfering in religious matters.

The letter told him to visit the chariots alone, but is it possible for a ShankaracharyaIJ

As per the protocol, the Shankaracharya moves from place to place accompanied by at least four persons. While one person moves ahead of the seer by sprinkling sacred water, the three others remain as guard in three different directions. This is because no one can touch the Shankaracharya as he is considered as incarnation of lord Shiva.

“Who (the administration) cannot provide justice to lord Jagannath, how can it provide justice to me. I want justice,” the Sankaracharya said while expressing his displeasure over the decision of the temple administration which, in a letter, has asked him to visit chariots alone.