Bhubaneswar, May 26: Swami Nishalananda Saraswati, the revered Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peetha in Puri agreed today to participate in the car festival of Lord Jagannath.

He would come to offer his prayers to the deities and perform rituals on the chariots during the rath yatra to be held on July 18.

The seer agreed to participate in the car festival after a delegation led by Shree Jagannath Temple Management Committee's chairman Puri king Dibya Singha Deb called on him at the Govardhan Peetha.

After emerging out from the meeting, Dibya Singha Deb said: "All controversies have come to an end. Shankaracharya will come along with his six disciples to offer his prayers to the deities on June 2 on Snana Purnima, the day in which the Lord would be bathed by 108 pot of holy water and on the rath yatra on July 18."

The seer said: " Since the temple management committee has assured not to repeat the mistakes in the future, I will go along with my disciples to offer prayer to the deities."

The Shankaracharya had skipped the car festival last year citing that he had not been given respect by the temple administration. The seer had lashed out at the state government for the undue interference in the affairs of the temple management on May 23. He had also questioned the authority of the chief administrator of the temple management committee.

The seer had said according to tradition, the affairs of the temple should be conducted as per the advice of the Gobardhan Peetha. He had also expressed his dissatisfaction on not being consulted.

Senior BJD leaders including excise minister Damodar Rout had also expressed their displeasure at the way the temple management had treated the seer.

As the issue snowballed into a major controversy just before the rath yatra, the temple management committee decided to meet the seer and end the stalemate.