The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Saturday evening announced a team for Banajaga Yatra, the first chapter of the ensuing Nabakalebar festival of lord Jagannath. The team consisting of 96 servitors of the Jagannath Temple will be headed by senior servitor Haladhar Dasmohapatra as Dalapati (leader). It would be accompanied by 16 Stotriya Brahmins, four chief architects (Biswakarma), Patimohapatra, lenka, Deulakarana and Tadhaukarana servitors.
Temple sources said, the team leader will recommend the names of the Upadalapati (deputy leader), Biswabasu and Bidyapati to the SJTA for its approval in consultation with the office-bearers of the Daitapati Nijog. The team will leave for Mangala temple at Kakatpur on March 29 in search of Daru (log) for the making of new images of the lords.
Earlier in the day, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingh Deb had a two-round meeting with the Banajaga team members, where he advised the Stotriya Brahmins to perform the Banajaga Yajna at the Deuli Math as per the prescribed procedure. He also urged the team members to adhere to the Banajaga rules during the search for Daru.
However, some senior Daitapati servitors present at the meeting raised the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee’s decision not to allow devotees for the Nabajoubana Darshan of the lords during Nabakalabara. SJTA officials assured them of reconsidering the decision in this regard.