Insta
Puri Jagannath Temple Closes Doors For The First Time In History, Amid Tussle
Jagannath Temple, Puri (Abhishek Barua/Wikimedia Commons)
Several hundreds of people turned back in disappointment as Odisha’s Puri Jagannath Temple closed its doors due to the ongoing tussle between the priests and police. This is due to the apex court’s reform measures that have been suggested to be implemented from 1 January.
Officials allege that priest Bhawani Shankar Mohapatra tried taking in three devotees a couple of days ago and the police stopped them as they suspected they weren’t Hindus. The temple has strict rules of entry and only Hindus are allowed to enter.
Hindustan Times quoted Mohapatra as saying, “The tourists were all from Bengal, but the cops did not allow them. The temple administration is encroaching upon our rights. This would not be tolerated.”
He has now lodged two FIRs with the Singhawara PS. The priests are not allowing anyone to enter until the issue is resolved.
Jyoti Prakash Das, Puri’s district collector, was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, “I have gone twice and requested the priests to resume the temple rituals, but they are unmoved. It is very unfortunate that they are keeping the devotees and the Lord waiting.”
Since the court’s recommendations include certain factors that will need traditional rights to be sacrificed, the tussle between the state government and the priests has been escalating.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
