Mob Defies Puri Temple Rule, Forcibly Enters
Sanctum Sanctorum

BY: SUN STAFF CORRESPONDENT

[Photos: Sampradaya Sun]

Jun 01, 2012 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — Hundreds of people on Friday forcibly stormed into the sanctum sanctorum of Jagannath Temple in Puri, protesting a recent order that restricted entry of pilgrims into the sanctorum.

To streamline daily rituals, the 12th century shrine administration clamped restrictions on the entry of pilgrims into the sanctum sanctorum nearly two months ago. Currently devotees are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum freely for two hours in the morning, starting around 8.30 am, even though the routine darshan of the Deities by standing outside the sanctum sanctorum remains unchanged. Prior to the restriction, devotees were visiting the sanctum sanctorum eight times a day.

Opposing the reform, the mob that included priests, pilgrims, lawyers and civil society organizations forced their way into sanctum sanctorum, leaving temple officials at wit's end. The protestors were also up in arms against the collection of Rs 25 for close darshan of the Deities near bhitar katha (outer area of sanctum sanctorum) and demanded complete free darshan.

"Our employees and police tried their best to stop the mob, but in vain. They should have not have acted like this," temple's chief administrator Arvind Padhee said. "We will register cases against those who violated the temple rule and discipline," said Padhee, who is also the revenue Divisional Commissioner (central range).

Sources said the mob dismantled a barricade, installed to prevent people from entering the sanctum sanctorum. The temple administration enforced the restriction in compliance with the recent recommendations by justice P K Mohanty's inquiry commission, that was set up to probe the November 4, 2006 stampede inside the Jagannath Temple. The commission then found that the stampede stemmed from the heavy presence of pilgrims in sanctum sanctorum, sources said. Four pilgrims were killed and score injured in the mishap.

"The reform was imperative as presence of pilgrims in sanctum sanctorum was delaying the completion of rituals," said temple's Public Relations Officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda.

It was alleged that the development came as a blow for a section of priests, who were minting money by allowing their guests into the sanctum sanctorum.

Last week, some priests demanded revocation of the order in line with a Supreme Court order on Kalighat temple in Kolkata. The Supreme Court on May 21 stayed a Calcutta high court order banning the entry of devotees into the sanctum sanctorum of the famed Kalighat shrine.

"The government did not pay heed to the SC order. Devotees are suffering by paying Rs 25 to see the Deities near bhitar katha. Going by the temple record of right (RoR), devotees should be allowed inside sanctum sanctorum thrice a day," Talachu Bhagaban Mohapatra, a priest said.

"The non-cooperation against the new arrangement would continue until the government scraps the order," said Priyadarshan Pattnaik, chief of Jagannath Sena, a social outfit.