[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

The violation was noticed inside the shrine when Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were being escorted from the sanctum sanctorum to the chariots in a boisterous procession, called Pahandi. Though only a section of servitors are entitled to carry out the Pahandi procession of the Deities, a number of people, reportedly owing allegiance to some influential servitors, were engaged in the act.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

"Before the Deities were taken onto the chariots, hundreds of VIPs touched the Deities inside the temple. We tried to prevent them, but to no avail. The police and temple officials stood like mute spectators. We also found some people in the guise of priests and touching the Deities," Narayan Mohapatra, a shrine servitor told mediapersons.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

In 2014, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) imposed a blanket ban on the access of devotees onto chariots and touching of the Deities (either inside the temple or on chariots) during the nine-day Rath Yatra. It had since been a smooth sailing affair as the temple administration managed to execute the order in 2014 and 2015.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

On July 1, the shrine's Chief Administrator Suresh Mohapatra said the administration will continue to enforce the rule strictly this year. However, the devotees will be allowed touch the chariots once they reach the Gundicha Temple, Suresh said. The shrine body had also said that it would not allow devotees to stay inside the temple during Pahandi procession.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

Suresh feigned ignorance about the violation of the rule on Wednesday. "I was present near the sanctum sanctorum to oversee the Pahandi procession. We did not allow any devotee to the sanctum sanctorum nor Jagamohan, a hall facing it. We will find out if anyone (except the servitors) touched the Deities near Natya Mandap and Baisi Pahancha of the temple," Suresh said.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

Some priests said the presence of VIPs inside the temple led to chaos and delay in solemnization of the rituals. "The Pahandi procession was scheduled to start at 9.45 am and end at 3.30 pm. But the chaotic situation inside the temple delayed the rituals by an hour. Everybody wanted to touch the Deities," said Santosh Panda, another priest.

Former minister and senior Congress leader Suresh Routray admitted he touched the Deities. "Not only me, but a number of administrative officers, their relatives and some ministers also touched the Deities during Pahandi," Routray told the media.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

Common devotees reacted sharply. "We came from far off places to have darshan of the Deities. Unfortunately we were not allowed inside the temple whereas VIPs gave money to priests and entered the temple," said Mausumi Tripathy, a devotee from Sundargarh.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]