On Entering Puri Temple

BY: MANDALI BHADRA DAS

Jul 23, 2011 — USA (SUN) — [This is a correction to our recent article mentioning Mandali Bhadra das (not Bhadramandali das). Ed.]

My name Mandali Bhadra Dash and I am living in Puri already 20 yrs. I was interviewed on July 21st, in front Sri Jagannath temple, where all the news channel people were, like OTV, Kanak, and the Sun. I want to publish my corrected statement about this matter, because what you reported is not exactly what I said.

It's not that I am not interested to go to Sri Jagannath Temple. I was speaking only privately, and I am not a representative of the ISKCON institution, or any other institutional group. I said, and I repeat, that I am not interested to enter in the temple if this devotional act will be the cause of a crusade, so no violence and no blood.

I have taken the example of a pure devotee Vaisnava and devotee of Lord Jagannath, who lived here in Jagannath Puri Dham hundreds of years ago. A great personality like Salabega, only because he was born in a Muslim family, was forbidden to enter in Jagannath Mandir… taka mana chala jiba chaka nayana dekhiba - ‘O tired mind let us go to see the round eyes of Lord Jagannath.' This was the prayer of Bhakta Salabega.

‘Jagannath' means the Lord of the Universe. So the great Bhakta Salabega and the great Vaisnava Haridasa Thakur, instead of getting lost in their devotional life in these policy battles, they were more concerned in the supreme love for Jagannath, more concerned to nurture love for the Universal God.

If today it be recognized from the authority that access is free to all, as God commands, without bloodshed, I will be very happy. If this is not happening, I will continue to offer prayers to Patitapavana, to the Cakra and the Ratha Yatra, but it would be better if during the festival, we also at least could go up to the chariot without paying large sums of rupis.

I am originally from Italy, and have spent 20 years in the town of Jagannath Puri. I married my wife from the cast of savak suar, the priests cooking inside Jagannath Mandir. My Lord's darsana until now remains on the view of Nilacakra and in the form of Mahaprasada, consecrated food offered to the Universal God Jagannath.

Finally, on the end I will be very happy to see the Lord in His temple. For more clarity on my position, please see the original interview I gave, which was on different television networks, ETV, Konrak, OTV, MB TV, and others. Journalists sometimes write stories different ways, but I never said that I do not want to enter the temple of Jagannath.

Thank you,
Mandalibhadra dasa

[Edited slightly for readability]