Superannuated IAS officer Aswini Das was an administrator with repository wisdom and rich experiences, leaving his indelible imprints in key areas like land, law, statutory compliance CSR, mines, PR and HRD. He leapt out of home to overseas in connection with an IlO meet in Turin, Italy on human trafficking and child labour, South Africa convention of prevention of AIDS, US protocol on school education and on a peace mission to Sri lanka on behalf of the Rotary International. He was GM (Personnel & Administration, Commerce), Odisha Mining Corporation; MD, Apex Handloom Cooperative Society Boyanika; Collector, Nayagarh; Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha; President, Puri Central Cooperative Bank; Collector, Puri; Chairman, Puri Konark Development Authority; Special Secretary, Planning & Coordination; Director, Employment & ESI; labour Commissioner; Senior VP (liaison), Rashmi Group of Industries, Kolkata; and Director, of Balasore Alloys. He was felicitated by the then Governor Rameshwar Thakur as the Best Collector of the Year. He also bagged a gold medal from the Governor for exemplarily contribution to Red Cross. Duties of a Collector of Puri are inextricably interwoven with the Jagannat Temple cult; and Das has formed his opinions on these subjects as a Puri Collector amid the ongoing debate in the wake of the Supreme Court’s reform proposals. In an interview to The Pioneer, Das spoke to Sugyan Choudhury on this subject of importance.
Would you please define the relationship of Puri Collector vis-a-vis Sevayats (servitors)ij
Since the days of yore, the Puri Collector has been closely associated with the Sevayats of the lord Jagannath Temple as he has been the Vice-Chairman of the temple managing committee.
What’s the Collector’s role in respect of smooth conduct of the Car Festivalij
The Car Festival has been going on since time immemorial. The Collector is a functionary of the temple managing committee, of which the Gajpati Maharaja is the chairman, and is responsible for overall smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra. However of late, for the diffusion of responsibilities, the SP of Puri is in charge of Sri Balabadhra’s chariot. The ADM is in charge of Maa Subhadra’s chariot and the Collector is in charge of the Jagannath chariot. They all work in tandem for smooth conduct of the festival. And for crowd control, the Collector is responsible on the days of Sunabesh and Niladri Bije.
You were Puri Collector from 2004 till the end of 2006. What is your response to people’s apprehensions regarding safe custody of the valuables of the deities in the Ratna Bhandarij
Now, it is in the realms of discussion and decision of a judicial commission. It has become a ticklish issue. It has been the core psyche of the people not only of Puri but also of the State, the country and across the world as the valuables of the deities were collected by the Rajas in different periods like the Kanchi conquest and as gifts for decoration of the deities in times of their festivals. It is deeply rooted in the memories of the people as individuals, as a community and as a nation. It is an emotional issue for umpteen numbers of Hindu devotees. When the news came that the Ratna Bahandar keys are not traceable for opening of the treasure trove in response to an order of the Orissa High Court for the sake of repairing the Ratna Bhandar and went viral, the people became emotionally hurt. Eyebrows were raised as to the nanagement of the temple. As per the temple management Act, the keys should have been kept in Treasury. How is that they have not gone back to Treasury since 1985ij Must have been with some ones since 1985. When the Ratna Bhandar was last opened in 1985, an inventory of valuables had been made as is reported in the media. How come, they were lately found in the Record Room of the Collectorij In my opinion, it would have been expedient to make an inventory of the Ratna Bhandar by breaking open its two other locks by the Collector in his magisterial capacity on the day. If the outer doors were made open then an audit of the valuables could have been done, which would have set at rest all speculations.
What’s your observation about discovery of duplicate keysij
It would not have been an issue creating apprehensions, doubts, disbeliefs in the minds of people had the inner locks of the Ratna Bhandar had been broken open by way of inventory by the Collector. Anyway, it is now in the domain of the judicial commission. With due respect to the commission, we should wait for its findings.
What is your idea about introduction of ticket system on the model of the Tirupati templeij
The Puri temple is one of the four Dhams as per the belief of Hindu devotees..Hindu scriptures depict lord Jagannath as “Dinabandhu” (Friend of the Poor) and “Patita Paban” (Redeemer of the Fallen). Hence, the lord would not probably be happy with levy of taxes or tickets upon the devotees for Darshan. It is believed it is the last Dham to visit after the three others. It being Sankhya Khestra, it has got its uniqueness. It is, therefore, not comparable to others. So, the system in vogue in other temples should not ipso facto be applicable to lord Jagannath. There should not be too much restrictions to visit the lord. Introducing a ticketing system would not be mentally acceptable as devotees have been used to see the lords freely and for a longer time. Imposing restriction in various forms would hurt their psyche. So far as the temple’s income is concerned, it has got a lot of landed properties across the State and the country. Earning income of the properties will go a long way in smooth management of temple. The Trupati temple model is a slant for having enormous funds by way of different means. For lord Jagannath, it is not soothing for Hindu devotees’ mindset.
How do you welcome the Supreme Court’s verdict relating to the Jagannath Temple reformsij
The Sevayats who are the key functionaries of rituals of the temple have in principle agreed to nine of the 12 observations made by the Supreme Court in its interlocutory order. Regarding the three points, i.e, of about their hereditary rights, Dan, Dakshina, gifts, etc., and entry of non-Hindus, the Sevayats have given their opinions. Regarding hereditary rights, record of rights, the Dan, Dakshina, the laws should be made qualifying it. It should not be absolute as it is now. Because the notion that the Sevayats are the descendants of Sri Krishna (Nila Madhaba) alias Biswabasu and Bidyapati, as the case may be, are not tenable to all and, therefore, not infallible. Of course, there are exceptions. But the fact remains that they are human beings subject to human frailties. They are apt to commit mistakes. Hence, hereditary right, record of rights, Dan Dakhina may continue with effective restrictions. Regarding the entry of non-Hindus, they should not be allowed as it is a Hindu temple since times immemorial. The sanctity of the temple should not be affected. The high point is security of the temple and deities as they have been subject to assault by pagans in different times. The opinions of the Sevayats in this aspect should, therefore, be given weightage. The people of other religions witness the lords during the Car Festival. Hence, let us preserve, protect and defend our deities and temple.