Many Sadhus and scholars here on Sunday in a convention alleged that the State Government and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) bowed down to the pressure of “five” Daita servitors of lord Jagannath, resulting in breaking the century-old tradition during this year’s annual car festival where Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati boycotted the festival.
“Five specific Daita servitors are persistently threatening of law and order situation and to stop the rituals of lord Jagannath in public. Since the Shankaracharya gave his report to the Temple Administration banning public access to chariots during car festival these five Daitas have been targeting him and the Gajapati as he supports the move,” alleged Sri Jagannath Sanskruti Manch convenor Prafulla Kumar Rath, on whose efforts the convention was held.
Coming down heavily on the temple administration and the Government for insulting the Shankarasharya by writing a letter to him asking him to come alone to the chariots, Rath said, “As per the tradition and protocol, the Shankaracharya moves from place to place accompanied by some of his disciples. While one person moves ahead of the seer by sprinkling sacred water, the others remain as guard in three different directions.”
“But the temple administration and the State Government dared to write to the seer asking him to come alone at the behest of these five Daitas,” alleged Rath.
He also demanded immediate arrest of these certain Daitas for threatening law and order situation. Participating in the convention, BJP MlA Basanta Panda, Swami Sachidananda Maharaj, Swami Arupanandaji, Abinash Baba and Pagala Baba among many others urged the Government to withdraw the letter. They also urged the Government to uphold the Jagannath culture, besides providing security to the Shankaracharya.