The Orissa High Court on Thursday expressed deep displeasure over the dillydallying attitude of the Shree Jaganntah Temple Administration (SJTA) in deciding as to when the Jagamohan (prayer hall) of the temple would be thrown open to devotees of the lords.
“Inform the court in an affidavit positively by April 10 about your decision on opening of Jagamohan. Or else, be prepared for the initiation of stringent legal action by summoning the Chief Administrator for a personal appearance,” the Bench headed by Chief Justice Vineet Saran warned.
The Jagamohan has been kept out of bounds for devotees ever since the ASI took up its repair works two years ago on January 27, 2016. On March 16 this year, the ASI informed the High Court that the repair works were over and the hall could now be made accessible to devotees.
But taking one plea or the other, the temple administration is ignoring the High Court’s concern for opening the hall to devotees. On Thursday, the temple administration again informed the court that the Jagamohan cannot be opened to devotees before July 26 on account of the ensuing Rath Yatra.
Earlier the temple administration, endorsing a decision of the Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, had taken a stand that since the treasury house (Ratna Bhandar) of the temple is in contiguity with the Jagamohan, the same structure should be inspected to find out whether it needs any repair or not.
Upon the High Court’s nod for it and obtaining the necessary permission from the State Government, the Ratna Bhandar was inspected by a team of 16 expert members on Wednesday. A partial report on this inspection was submitted in the High Court in a sealed cover on Thursday.