The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Saturday announced the names for the posts of Biswabasu and Vidyapati for the Banajaga Yatra team for the 2015 Nabakalebar of the lords, which would set off from Puri on Sunday.
While Binayak Dasmohapatra has been nominated as the Biswabasu, Narsingha Pati Mohapatra has been named as Vidyapati. Banajaga Yatra (the search for the daru — neem tree logs out of which new idols of the deities are carved) is considered as the opening chapter of Nabakalebar.
The SJTA had earlier announced Haladhar Dasmohapatra as the Dalapati (team leader) of the Banajaga Yatra team. While naming the Biswabasu and the Vidyapati did not pose much of a problem, the selection of the Ipadalapatis (deputy team leaders) proved to be tough nut to crack for the temple administration.
Unable to decide on one name for fear of enraging the many other contenders, the SJTA has reportedly taken the easy way out of the dilemma by taking the unprecedented step of naming as many as four Upadalapatis. Reportedly, they are Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, Durga Dasmohapatra, Chandrasekhar Dasmohapatra and Ganeswar Dasmohaptra.
The decision to nominate four Upadalapatis for this year’s Banajaga Yatra, for which there is no precedence, is being seen as a move by the SJTA to avoid possible disturbances during the Yatra because of factionalism within the Daitapati Nijog.
Among the Upadalapatis is a top ruling BJD leader. Since the Government cannot interfere in temple affairs, it is banking on its man to prevent any disturbance during the Banajaga Yatra.