Puri seer demands ban on film on Lord Jagannath

Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati has demanded a complete ban on the animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’, scheduled for release on August 28.

Saraswati, who is also the permanent chairman of the Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, wrote to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, chairperson of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC), in this regard on Monday.

The letter was shared with the media on Wednesday.

“There is a need for a complete ban on releasing films containing distorted (cartoon) forms of Lord Jagannath and other deities and inauthentic ‘Leela’ characters through any medium,” the Puri seer said in the letter.

The Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha, the highest religious body of the Shree Jagannath Temple, has also sought a complete ban on the film.

It wrote a separate letter to Deb on August 25.

The Sabha, which takes major decisions relating to the worship, rituals, traditions and culture of the temple, described the film as “completely fictitious, baseless, and contrary to scriptures, tradition, history, and customs”.

It also termed the film “imaginary, anti-tradition, contrary to scriptures and historical facts”.

“The holy form of Lord Jagannath has been presented in a distorted and ridiculous manner. Instead of developing devotion or dedication by watching such movies, children will develop disrespect and distorted beliefs toward Hindu gods and goddesses right from childhood,” the Pandit Sabha said.