The establishment of the new Jay idol in front of the Lions Gate of the Jagannath Temple here is improper and violates religious principle of the shrine, said Pandit Padmanav Mohapatra, the Purohita (chief priest) of the temple.
Raising questions over the new statue, Mahapatra said that due religious processes have not been followed while establishing; hence, the new Jay idol fills no good purpose of the temple.
Terming the new idol as ‘ghost’, Mahapatra drew the temple authorities to dock for breaching of laws of the temple. He told that he has already apprised his concern to the management of the temple. He viewed that there are certain rites which are to be followed before establishment of an idol, in absence of which the temple and city have to suffer.
“During the establishment of Jay idol, religious courses were not followed and the statue was simply placed on the top of column. As per norms, if a statue is seated without practising its due courses, then the idol turns a ghost in Hindu law,” said Mahaptra to The Pioneer.
Giving example of another violation, he said Patitapaban Bana ( holy flag) of shorter length is being used atop the Nilachakra agaiinst the approved size of 14-hand length. According to him, fourteen hands symblise 14 Kosas (28 miles approximately) which is the holy flag's covering areas. It acts as a protective seal. But the temple administration allowed only small flags advancing a logic of danger to Nilachakra if such a long flag is used.
Giving Fani a divine colour, Mahapatra added that the cyclonic impact was very extensive just only within a radius of 28 km of Puri which is indicative of violation flag code of the temple.
The new Jay statue near the Lions Gate was necessary after the cement idol fell down by the Fani on May 3. Following absence of Jay with Bijay to his left side, the temple administration brought in a new statue from Cuttack district and established arbitrarily without following the due rites there, said Mahapatra.
Notably, Jay and Bijay idols seated at both sides of the Lions Gate work as security guards of the main door.