Gross disruption in the Ghata Parivartan ritual of deities by Daitapatis evoked widespread reaction among devotees across the country. While the Daitas were cornered on the issue, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) too came under the line of fire. Many saw it as a bad omen, while others said it seems the administration was taken to task by a section of unruly Daitapatis.
The Ghata Parivartan of the deities is a major ritual being observed after almost two decades. As per the temple almanac, the day was fixed for Chaturdashi (June 15) midnight and the temple administration as well as the State had made elaborate preparations for this grand and important ritual of the deities.
The temple had entrusted four Badagrahis (chief of the Diata clans) of deities, lord Jagannath, lord Balabahdra, Devi Subhadra and Sudarshan, to take up the religious duty. The Ghata Parivartan (transfer of Brahma) from the old idols to new ones was to be done by the four Daitapatis only in the dead of the night of Chaturdashi amid utmost secrecy.
Unfortunately, because of faction fight between two groups of Daitapati community with one demanding access to the Ghata Partivartan enclosure had caused tussle among them which stalled the work by three hours. The sacred ritual was accomplished on June 16 afternoon.
Haladhar Das Mahapatra, the Badagrahi of deity Sudarshan, entrusted to perform Ghata Parivartan, said he along with three other Badagrahis were obstructed by a section of other Daitas who demanded to take in a senior Daita along with them to perform the job and prevented their entry for nearly three hours. Haladhar is the chief of the Banajaga team.
Bijay Mahapatra, a senior Biswakarma, engaged along with nine other Biswakarmas, dismissed the allegation that they did not complete the carving of images in time. Mahapatra said a number of Daitas frequently interfered in the carving work by changing the wood and for that, the work was stopped for three hours. The matter was intimated to the SJTA Chief Administrator, but he did precious little for smooth conduct of the work, Mahapatra said.
The Gajapati is being targeted for delay in offering purnaahuti in the Mahayajna. It is learnt that he came to the temple as soon as he was informed that the Yajna was heading for conclusion. He came to the temple at 2.40 on the Monday night and returned at about 3 pm after performing Purnaahuti.
Many senior servitors pointed out why the temple administration did not organize this 11-day Mahayajna earlier so that it could have been concluded by Monday evening, thus facilitating more time for the Daitas to perform their work. The Mahayajna began on June 3.
As per the Nabakalebar manual, the Daitas would initiate their work only after the Swotriya Brahmins put Jibanyash (initiate life force) in the new idols before the Ghata Parivartan by the Daiapatis. The Jibanyash ceremony was completed by 4 pm on the Monday night and the Brahma transfer was performed on the Tuesday afternoon. The temple gate was opened for devotees late in the Tuesday night.
The devotees who burnt diyas at the lion's Gate throughout the night were shocked to learn this.
Temple Chief Administrator Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said if Haladhar Das Mahapatra informs this development formally, he would initiate legal actions as per the law against those responsible for the delay. The temple administration convened a meeting of Daitas on Wednesday night.