Hot seat

Ramakrushna Das Mohapatra,

Daitapati, Sri Jagannath

Temple, Puri

You claim to be the family servitor of presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee. When did you first get in touch with him?

Our relation dates back to 1978. On his family’s request, I also performed a puja before Lord Jagannath on June 4 for his well being. I have also visited him in Delhi a number of times. I had also conducted a puja for him after he was nominated as a presidential candidate. Our relationship is purely that of jajman and sevayat (devotee and servitor). I even knew late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi personally.

You are a temple servitor. From where do you get all these gold ornaments to wear?

I have inherited the gold ornaments from my ancestors. I have also bought some of it with my own money. We consider Lord Jagannath as our brother. As the rath yatra is associated with our brother, we put on new clothes and wear all the gold ornaments.

lDon’t you fear that you might be robbed of your ornaments with lakhs of people congregating for the chariot festival?

What is there to fear when the Lord is there to protect His brothers? We also have our own security system. There are young daitapatis, who guard the seniors. They try to ensure that senior daitapatis never face any problem during the nine-day festival.

Isn’t it true that servitors often take a lot of money from devotees, promising them a good darshan of the Lord?

These are false allegations. None of the senior sevayats, including me, ever ask for anything from the devotees. It is purely their prerogative how much they want to offer to the servitors and they do it out of love for the Lord. Besides, if devotees don't donate anything, how will the servitors, who dedicate their lives for serving the Lord, run their families? If the devotee feels we fleece money, he can lodge a complaint with the police and temple management committee. However, during the rath yatra, we take charge of the temple affairs. We contribute 20 per cent of what we earn to the Jagannath temple.

The temple has witnessed a lot of infighting between different sects of servitors in the past that have resulted in a delay in rituals.

You should not blame the servitors all the time. This temple is different from other temples. Thirty-six sects of servitors manage it, which means, a total of 1,500-odd servitors. If one person makes a mistake then the entire process is delayed, including the offering of mahaprasad (food served to the Lord).

The temple administration has been engaged in a tussle with servitors many a time in the past. How can it be solved?

The temple administrators should constantly negotiate with the servitors on various issues by being present in the temple premises. Sitting in their respective offices, they cannot understand the problems affecting the temple. There is a lot of space here (in the temple) for them to sit and talk to us.

Last year, there was a scuffle between servitors and the police since the former helped devotees to climb atop Lord Jagannath’s chariot. Whose fault was it really?

Both servitors and police are to be blamed. We suggested for this rath yatra, only those police officers be deployed who have served in the past during the festival. Responsible police officers should be deployed who understand and have respect for local people as well as servitors.

Besides being a servitor, you are also the president of the Hotel Owners’ Association. Won't you agree that hotel owners exploit the common people by raising the tariff during major occasions such as rath yatra?

Why are you putting the blame on the hoteliers? We have 280 registered hotels under the association. They have a fixed tariff and it has not changed over many years. Instead of charging more, we some time give 20 per cent discount to our regular customers. But I cannot comment on the tariff of the numerous small hotels and guesthouses.

Do you get agitated that sex rackets are carried out in many big and small Puri hotels?

We feel ashamed. We have asked our hotel staff to be vigilant on the movement of suspected elements. We also have close circuit television cameras installed. If we sense any wrongdoing, we immediately inform the police.

You are a member of the ruling Biju Janata Dal and said to be close to chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Why hasn't your party considered giving you an Assembly ticket from Puri?

I have no aspirations of becoming an MLA. There are many senior leaders in the party. I am fortunate to be close to Naveen babu. The party has made me the chairman of Odisha Cooperative Coir Corporation and through this body I have been able to serve the Lord.

How exactly have you been able to serve Him by heading the corporation?

Earlier, we used to procure the chariot ropes from Kerala. But since the last two years, our corporation has been supplying the ropes to the Jagannath temple administration. We have made a profit of Rs 10 lakh in this venture.

What would you have been had you not been a daitapati?

Life without Lord Jagannath is unimaginable for me. I feel blessed that by virtue of my

birth in the daitapati clan, I have inherited the sacred right to serve the Lord. We are the descendants of tribal king Biswabasu, who originally worshipped Jagannath Mahaprabhu. I cannot think of a holier and more rewarding job than what I am doing at present.

I have my own identity in the political and social circles. I have a hotel business, which, by god's grace, is doing well.

My only son has his own business but during rath yatra time, he completely engages himself in the Lord’s service