"As per tradition, the puja (majana) should have been performed jointly by the Mangala and Jagannath Temple servitors. Same procedure was followed in 1996 Nabakalebara. But this time we were not allowed to perform the puja as the Mangala priests solemnized the ritual on their own," said Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, a Jagannath Temple servitor.

Resentment brewed among a section of Puri priests, who returned to Deuli mutt (temporary camp) in a huff.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

"Tradition does not allow the Jagannath Temple servitors to perform the Puja before goddess Mangala. It is our traditional right. When we tried to convince them, they became angry. Our intention was not to insult them," said Laxmidhar Dixit, a Mangala temple priest.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

Officials of the Jagannath Temple administration held parley between the two sections of priests. "There was some misunderstanding, which has been sorted out. The Jagannath servitors invoked the blessings of the goddess and prayed the Deity to guide them about the location of the holy Neem trees, whose timber would be used for creation of new idols of the Deities of Jagannath Temple," said Aravind Agarwal, Puri district collector and deputy chief administrator of Jagannath Temple.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]

All roads led to Kakatpur, about 60 km from Puri, as devotees in large numbers thronged the nondescript village and witnessed the ritual at Mangala temple. The searing sun failed to deter the devotion of the devotees toward Lord Jagannath as they made beelines outside Deuli mutt and joined the Jagannath servitors in their procession towards Mangala temple. "I was part of this ritual in 1996 Nabakalebara. I am glorified as I witnessed the ritual after 19 years," said a German professor, Roland Hardenberg, who wrote a book on Nabakalebara.

The Jagannath priests are scheduled to start searching for Neem trees beginning Sunday. Police said they have arranged adequate security for their safety during their movement into different villages in search of the trees. The search for Neem trees will end on May 17.

[ Photo: Sampradaya Sun ]