Will Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik allow the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to implement the recommendations of the Sankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth, Puri on the controversial chariot climbing issueIJ
It is a very sensitive and emotional as well as religious issue which needs to be implemented after careful consideration, feel Government officials.
Patnaik, who seems much careful about his “secular” image, would not like to mess up in taking a decision in the issue, the officials said, adding that the Chief Minister knows people of Odisha turn emotional about anything concerning lord Jagannath.
Therefore, he would take a lot of time to go carefully through the 53-page recommendations of Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on who would be allowed to climb the chariots of the Trinity and touch the deities during the annual car festival.
The report added that even the High Court of Calcutta had considered the advice of Swami Nischalananda Sarawati and had passed several decisions based on it.
A release from the Govardhan Peeth stated that people under the influence of greed and fear should refrain from denigrating the Sankaracharya for his recommendations as it is being done against the laws of religion, democracy and administration.
Notably, a section of the lord Jagannath Temple servitors have questioned the Puri seer’s decision on who would be allowed to climb the chariots. This has followed some devotees’ complaints of harassment by servitors recently.
The servitors raising pitch over the contentious issue have also accused Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Arabinda Kumar Padhee and Revenue Divisional Commissioner of influencing the Sankaracharya to take this decision with ulterior motive of settling score over the servitors.
Two servitor groups, Daitapati Nijog and Chhatisa Nijog, recently stated that they would not follow the orders issued by Swami Nischalananda Saraswati and endorsed by the temple administration.
The temple administration appears determined to implement the Sankaracharya’s landmark decision which, many feel, is likely to usher in the much-needed reforms in the clumsy practices of servitors.