A dispute between two servitors of the Puri Jagannath Temple stalled the ceremonial voyage of the representative deities during the ongoing Chandan Yatra at the sacred Narendra pond on Tuesday night. The incident occurred on the eighth day of the festival, disrupting the divine proceedings.
Government's Response
Taking a serious note of the incident, the state government warned of strict action against the erring servitors. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan condemned the incident, stating, 'This unpleasant situation should not have happened. The temple's chief administrator is conducting an inquiry, and stringent action will follow.'
Details of the Confrontation
The confrontation began around 9 pm when a servitor objected to the presence of another servitor's nephew on the ceremonial vessel, known as chapa, accusing him of being unauthorised. The altercation escalated, dragging on until 1 am, leaving the boats stranded and rituals incomplete.
Servitor Binayak Dasmohapatra alleged, 'A servitor asked my nephew to leave the boat, accusing him of unauthorised presence. When he resisted, the boat was stopped.' He claimed that his nephew was unfairly singled out despite several non-duty servitors being on board.
Countering this, the servitor who raised the objection argued that the youth had no assigned role in the rituals. 'Excess presence of servitors could cause mishaps. When he was asked to get down, his father and others created an unpleasant situation, stalling the proceedings,' he said.
Failed Mediation and Cancellation
Efforts by the district administration and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration to mediate failed, forcing the cancellation of the divine boat ride rituals. During these rituals, the representative idols — Madanmohan, Rama, Krishna, Bhudevi, and Shreedevi — along with the five Shivas (Pancha Pandavas) are taken on a ceremonial cruise.
Devotees' Disappointment
Devotees expressed deep disappointment over the disruption. Biswajit Nanda, a local devotee, said, 'Hundreds had gathered to witness the summer water sport of the deities. Such unruly conduct must be dealt with firmly. For their personal issues, they dared to stall the divine proceedings.'
About Chandan Yatra
The 42-day Chandan Yatra, which began on April 20 during Akshaya Tritiya, is observed in two phases — Bahara (outer) Chandan and Bhitara (inner) Chandan — each lasting 21 days. In the outer phase, the representative idols of the Jagannath temple deities — Madanmohan, Rama, Krishna, Bhudevi, and Shreedevi — along with the five Shivas (Pancha Pandavas), are taken in two boats for a ceremonial cruise, accompanied by music and dance. The inner phase is observed within the temple premises with special rituals.
