It’s time to rejoice for millions of lord Jagannath devotees. The ban on climbing on Rath and touch the Trinity during Rath Yatra has been rescinded on Wednesday by the temple administration here in its managing committee meeting.
Temple Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee said, “The previous decision on restriction to touch the deities has been withdrawn. The decision will be reviewed again after getting information from the Sankaracharya, the main seer of temple.”
The temple administration had recently scrapped the practice of touching idols on chariots by non-servitors during Rath Yatra, kicking off a row as the Daita servitors, known as the body protectors of lord Jagannath who conduct all rituals of the Trinity till Rath Yatra concludes, protested it tooth and nail.
They cited the reason that the occasion provides an opportunity to the devotees to embrace the deities from close proximity. The administration should not take any decision which strips the rights of the pilgrims, they had argued.
Notably, the temple administration in its managing committee meeting held on June 17 last had decided to abandon the practice of touching idols on chariots during Rath Yatra, which had created law and order problems during past years.