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| The silver cover of Shiv linga at the Lingaraj temple administration office. Telegraph picture |
Bhubaneswar, Aug 18: A dispute between two groups of servitors over fixing of a silver cover on the linga inside the sanctum sanctorum at the Lingaraj temple today led to disruption in the temple’s daily rituals.
The dispute erupted after the Badu servitors fixed a silver cover on the linga inside the sanctum sanctorum today without taking consent of the temple administration and other groups of servitors. This was opposed by servitors of other nijogas. The rituals were disrupted from 8.30 am and could be resumed only after 1pm following the intervention of temple administration.
Officials of the temple administration said that a resolution to wrap the linga with silver cover was taken in a trustee meeting in July last year. The decision was taken to protect the linga from erosion as devotees touch the linga and coconuts are broken on it. Devotees are allowed to touch the linga thrice a day during the sahanamela darshan.
However, the temple administration had also decided that the silver cover could be donated by any devotee against obtaining a receipt. Sources said that the silver cover needed to cover the linga would be of around five kilogram and worth Rs 5 lakh.
A devotee donated the silver cover to a servitor of Badu Nijoga, who fixed the cover today. But later, servitors of other nijogas protested the move and alleged that the silver cover was fixed without their consent. The other groups’ servitors also objected to the design of the cover.
“We have not done anything wrong. A devotee donated the silver cover yesterday and we have also taken permission of the temple administration before fixing it. As the devotee had a wish to see the linga in the cover, we fixed it today,” said secretary of Badu Nijoga Kamalakanta Badu.
Later, the temple administration removed the cover and convened a meeting of servitors to sort out the issue. “Any donation should be made with prior approval of temple administration. We will take up the matter in the next trustee meeting and we will also decide the shape and design of the cover,” said executive officer of the temple A.K Patnaik.
The temple has been witnessing frequent disputes between various groups of servitors in recent past.