The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is facing scarcity in the supply of Kasturi (musk), which is an important item for the rituals associated with the annual Rath Yatra festival at Puri.
The “pure and natural Kasturi” used for the festival rituals has always come as a customary gift from Nepal’s Hindu king, who has had an institutional and long-standing relationship not only with the Shree Jagannath Temple but also with the grand annual event. However, the fall of the institution of monarchy in the Himalayan country has put an end to the centuries-old practice.
Musk, which is obtained from a gland of the male musk deer which are now a gravely endangered species, is a banned item in India. The substance has been used as a popular perfume fixative since ancient times and is one of the most expensive animal products in the world.
Unable to procure musk from any other source, the Odisha Government has now sought the intervention of the Central Government in the matter and has written to the External Affairs Secretary to help procure musk from Nepal.
The last time that the SJTA received musk from the Nepal royal family was in 2002 and the stock has been completely exhausted, said sources. The three deities lord Jagannath, lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are painted with an aromatic paste of herbs with a dose of Kasturi in it during the Rath Yatra.
Earlier, Kasturi was received free-of-cost from the Nepal royal family as a token of its devotion to lord Jagannath. The temple administration is prepared to buy it if the present Nepal Government refuses to donate it, said an SJTA source.
However, animal rights activists are of the view that the practice of using the natural Kasturi must end because it constitutes cruelty to an endangered species. They argue in favour of the use of synthetic musk which is available in plenty in the market worldwide.