Jagannath temple’s senior servitor, Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, has been suspended from servitor duties for thirty days. He is now barred from entering the temple and performing his ritual duties. This disciplinary step was taken on account of his participation, around ten days back, in the flag unfurling ceremony of the newly constructed Jagannath temple at Digha in West Bengal. In the opinion of temple authorities, this participation was disrespectful to the dignity and sanctity of the ancient temple.
In this case, SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee has mentioned the reason for the suspension as transgressing temple customs. He is being punished for violating the temple’s rules per the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 provisions. The Order further warned him not to take steps aimed at influencing or terrorising other servitors or persons in such a manner that would disrupt the performance of temple rituals and that doing so would result in an extended suspension.
Dasmohapardha, secretary of the Daitapati Nijog, which looks after essential ritualistic functions during the annual Rath Yatra, received two show-cause notices from the SJTA. Pritimaji Pujak’s first show-cause notice was based on his assertion that the idols meant for the Digha temple were made from leftover sacred wood from the 2015 Nabakalebara fest in Puri, which annoyed many theosophists. He later changed his statement, and an inquiry from the state government confirmed that a carpenter in Bhubaneswar made the idols.
The second show cause notice, as stated in his submission, concerned his creeping participation in Digha temple parikrama and his silence on the new temple being called ‘Jagannath Dham.’ In the SJTA’s view, a temple built outside of Puri cannot be sanctified or elevated to such a title unless the title is strictly reserved for the shrines intended for worship within the Puri boundaries, which serve as the disciplinary centre of Hinduism.
The removal of this suspension, meanwhile, has sparked a new political controversy. The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal is siding with the BJP Government of Odisha and accusing them of political interference, while Odisha BJP leaders praised the decision as necessary to maintain the balance in sanctity of the Puri temple tradition.
SJTA officials stated that Dasmohapatra’s behaviour would be monitored during the suspension period, and any further misconduct could result in loss of grants and awards.
“The action has been initiated to ensure discipline in the Jagannath Temple. Everyone must uphold the sanctity of the shrine and traditions. Any indiscipline will not be tolerated,” Arabinda Padhee, the SJTA chief administrator, noted.
The suspension started on May 11 and lasted for 30 days, during which time Dasmohapatra couldn’t enter the temple or participate in any ceremonies.
You may read this: How to Visit Jagannath Temple Digha: A Complete Travel Guide from Major Destinations
