Dibyasingha Deb, Chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and titular king of Puri, on Saturday urged the Odisha government to approach the Supreme Court again for a partial modification of its order to hold the Rath Yatra in Puri — the original seat of Lord Jagannath. The court had on June 18 stayed the Yatra in view of the pandemic,
In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Mr. Deb said, “If the Rath Yatra is not held this year in Puri, it will hurt the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world who watch the sacred yatra live every year on the electronic media.”
Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, who is revered as the supreme authority in the religious affairs of 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple, also wanted reconsideration, he pointed out.
Mr. Deb wrote a three-page letter after the managing committee and the Chhatisa Nijoga, apex body of traditional priests, had unanimously decided to appeal to the State government to immediately move the court.
According to him, in the course of Odisha’s long history, the Yatra was not held during the attacks by the Moghul forces during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, when the deities’ idols had to be hidden in remote places.
“The Yatra, however, has not been stopped for any other reasons even during the worst natural disasters and epidemics. The present grave crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic is not such a situation for which it cannot be held in Puri,” said Mr. Deb.
Puri’s titular king said the Yatra could be held without any congregation of general public and the State government should take appropriate steps to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
