Bhubaneswar, Dec. 11: The state government is planning to implement recommendations of a 38-year-old judicial commission report on the Shree Jagannath Temple administration.

In 1977, following a series of controversies during the Nabakalebar festival, the commission, headed by Justice B.K. Patra, had made the recommendations for smooth functioning of the temple and the associated rituals.

However, successive governments did not try to implement those fearing a public backlash, and the recommendations has been gathering dust in the law department.

Sources said that this time the government was determined to bring about reforms in the temple administration after having faced problems during the last Nabakalebar festival.

"The government is considering to implement the report, at least a part of it, by taking public opinion into consideration. The process has begun," said a senior official of the law department. All the stakeholders - servitors, Shankaracharya of Puri and others - will be consulted before the implementation.

Temple administration spokesperson Laxmidhar Pujapanda said: "The government has sought our opinion on the proposed reforms suggested by the Patra Commission. The suggestions will be deliberated."

One of the recommendations, which has already sparked off a controversy, is the abolition of the hereditary rights of the servitors. The commission has stated that if a sevak failed to turn up for duty on any particular day without sufficient reasons, he is liable to be dismissed.

The sevaks, who are serious about their duties, ought to be encouraged to take up the seva. If the nitis (rituals) are "not performed punctually and regularly", the commission had said, the hereditary rights of the servitors should be abolished by legislation.

Sevaks should be appointed on monthly salary and a reserve body of servitors should be there on salary to avoid problems during emergencies.

However, the servitors have alleged that the administration's move to implement the commission's recommendations at this juncture was "vindictive" in nature. "They are trying to finish the traditional Jagannath culture, which is unique," said Ramachandra Das Mohapatra, the chief servitor of Goddess Subhadra.

The commission has recommended that the number of sadhibandha sevaks (servitors entrusted with particular jobs) in each category should be reduced by removing those, who hardly ever perform these services. Reacting to this Damodar Mahasuara, a servitor, said: "Our traditional rights which we have enjoyed for generations should not be taken away."

Another recommendation that has caused resentment among the servitors is the suggestion against soliciting of dakshina (monetary payment) by a sevak or otherwise, on the temple premises. The practice of placing three jharis (plates) in front of the three deities for collection should be discontinued. Instead of that, the commission says, a sealed box with a seal on top of it should be placed just below the ratna singhasan (the golden throne on which the deities are ensconced) for the devotees to donate.

The commission has argued that the sevaks should not seek any kind of donation from the pilgrims. "A servitor should be posted to distribute tulsi (basil leaf) to the pilgrims and he should be prohibited from soliciting any offerings from them," it said.

The suggestion for construction of three permanent chariots for the deities has also sparked off a debate. Taking into account the requirement of a large amount of wood every year to build the chariots, the commission was of the view that there should be permanent chariots for rath yatra.

"There appears to be no religious prohibition against having three permanent chariots for rath yatra. There are great many advantages in having such permanent chariots," said the commission. It should be done after consultation with Jagatguru Shankarachrya and members of the Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha and taking due note of public opinion in the matter.

"We equate the chariot with a human body. It has its life and death. Every year, we do the prana pratistha (infusing life) of the chariots. Any move to dent the practice will cause resentment," said young servitor Nutan Das Mohapatra.