Chariot makers at work ahead of rath yatra on Grand Road in Puri. Picture by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, June 15: The daitapatis (servitors) of Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri have threatened not to co-operate with the temple administration if it concedes to the demand of the Puri Shankaracharya not to allow devotees atop the chariots during the rath yatra and debar them from touching the deities on their mounts.

An intense debate on this issue continues to hog the limelight with the rath yatra around. Leading up to the big event, Lord Jagananth and his siblings have fallen sick following their ritual bath with 108 pitchers of water. They are now in hibernation for a fortnight.

Last week, a meeting was organised at the state secretariat under the chairmanship of law minister Arun Sahu and it was decided that the devotees would not be allowed to climb the chariots during daytime on the occasions of rath yatra and bahuda yatra (car return festival). Only on the day of suna vesha (the golden attire) day, the devotees can climb the chariots.

However, Gobardhan Peetham, the seat of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati has reiterated his demand that the government must honour the stand taken by him.

“The Shankaracharya of Puri had categorically suggested that devotees should be banned from climbing the chariots and touching the deities during rath yatra. But the June 11 decision of the state government on this issue is not clear and is grossly disrespectful towards the Jagadaguru’s decision,” said Manoj Kumar Rath, spokesman of the Govardhan Peetham in Puri said at a news meet here yesterday.

Reacting to this development, senior servitor Ramkrushna Das Mohapatra said: “Gobardhan Peetham has failed to read the sentiments of the four crore Odias. The tradition of touching the Lord Jagannath has continued over generations. Any break in the tradition will not be tolerated at this point.”

Das Mohapatra also threatened that the daitapatis would not co-operate with the administration during not only the rath yatra but also during the Naba Kalebara festival next year when the images of the deities will be replaced with new ones. During Naba Kalebara, the daitapatis play a great role and their non-cooperation can create problems for the government.

However, today the government made it clear that devotees would be allowed to go up the chariots during the rath yatra, but with certain restrictions. Tourism and culture minister Ashok Panda said: “The earlier decision taken by the committee headed by the law minister on June 11 should be adhered to. The issue, though, needs wider consultation and no decision should be taken in a haste.”