Hindus need to realize adverse effects of Government taking over temple-management and force the Government to hand over temples to devotees so that they would look after management !
Enraged devotees demand immediate arrest and stringent action against responsible persons
The Odisha government is facing flak over violation of age-old tradition of ‘Brahma-Parivartan’ rituals of Lord Jagannath temple.
Recently, a statewide demonstration was held by opposition parties protesting alleged mismanagement during performance of Lord Jagannath’s Brahma Parivartan rituals, demanding a judicial probe into the matter by a sitting High Court judge.
Highlighting the mismanagement within the Jagannath Temple Managing Committee that works under the the state government, the protestors even demanded resignation of chief minister on moral ground.
Government control over Hindu temples in the name of better management has only resulted in such grave disasters. Had the temple been free of government control, the state government wouldn’t have to face flak today as the violation of ritual wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Hindu civil society should be made the custodian of Hindu temples and rituals and government should have no role.
Recently at an event in Bangalore, Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education stressed on the need for freeing the Hindu temples from Government control. He argued that, “the issue is all about the separation of state from religion, and not people from religion. Today, to be secular, means to be anti-Hindu. A Hindu is a vastly secular person in the Western sense, we accept differences.”
History of Management of Jagannath Temple:
From May’1903 to Aug’1926 – Deputy Magistrates were posted on deputation to the temple as Manager with certain rights and powers.
Feb’1926-1957 – Raja Rama Chandra Deb (IV), adopted son of Raja Mukunda Deb became the Raja Superintendent of the temple.
1957-1970 – Raja Bira Kishore Deb became Raja-Superintendent till 27.10.1960. Thereafter he became Chairman of the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, constituted by the Govt. of Orissa under the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 (Orissa Act, No.11 of 1955).
1970 Raja Dibyasingh Deb (IV) is the Chairman of the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee.
Source: NitiCentral
Jagannath Puri (Odisha) – A religious ritual called ‘Navakalevar – Brahmaparivartan’ was performed after delay of 14 hours. The tradition of performing this ritual is being followed for hundreds of years. The delay has violated sanctity of the temple and enraged devotees. The temple management committee formed by the Government is incompetent and should be immediately dissolved and persons responsible for such delay should be stringently punished, are the demands made by various Hindutvavadi organizations and devotees. Two ‘Daitapati (sevak / servants)’ have been arrested in this connection. Odisha State Government has been looking after management of Shri. Deva Jagannath Mandir since 1960. The responsibility is handed over to an officer of IAS cadre by the State Government. The devotees have, however, accused that the Temple Management Committee sponsored by the State Government has not been doing its job properly and this year, the most important ritual like ‘Navakalevar – Brahmaparivartan’ was made out to be such fiasco; enraging devotees so much that they have lost patience and have made accusation that the delay was only due to mismanagement.
Useless management of temple ! – Shri. Sadanand Dixit, ‘Lokbhasha Prachar Samiti’
There is total mismanagement since the Government-sponsored samiti took over reins. The Samiti has no control over anything. People have started feeling insecure to go to this temple. There have been instances of devotees being abused, man-handled and women harassed by the ‘sevaks’ working in this temple. Devotees have lodged complaints with temple management in this regard; but all cases have been suppressed, with no action taken against anyone.
What is ‘Navakalevar Vidhi’?
In this temple, there are idols made of wood of all Deities like Sri Jagannath, Sri Balbhadra, Devi Subhadra and Sri Sudarshan. As per the ancient tradition, all the 4 idols are replaced by new idols made of wood after 19 years and this ‘vidhi’ is known as ‘Navakalevar’. After the new idols are made, they are consecrated in temple which is known as ‘Brahma-parivartan’ and this ritual of replacing and installation of idols is not open to all. It is more than 100 years old tradition; but for the first time, there was mismanagement in this ritual which has created displeasure amongst all Hindus.
Management of temple should be handed over to devotees under the able guidance of Shankaracharya ! – Shri. Ramesh Shinde, national spokesperson, HJS
Shri. Deva Jagannath Mandir is one of the main temples of Hindus. It is important that all routine rituals are performed by devotees for proper management of the temple. The management of this temple should therefore, be handed over to devotees under the guidance of Jagatguru Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalanand Sarasawati of Puri; rather than managed by government-sponsored committee.
Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat
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