Bhubaneswar, May 23: The Shankaracharya of Govardhanpeetha Swami Nischalanand Saraswati today lashed out at what he called the undue interference in the administration of the Jagannath temple in Puri.

He appeared to question the authority of the chief temple administrator who is appointed by the government.

The Shankaracharya said that according to the tradition, the affairs of the temple should be conducted following the advice of Govardhanpeetha. The seer was unhappy on not being consulted about the matter.

The Shankaracharya's statement is significant considering that he has been at loggerheads with the government since the last rath yatra, when he refused to visit and perform the rituals on the chariots. Besides, his fulminations come ahead of the Nabakalebar festival, which take place in Puri after 19 years.

The preparation for the festival, during which new idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings will be installed inside the sanctum sanctorum, remains a huge challenge for the state government. With a lot of work yet to be done, the Opposition leaders have trained their guns on the government expressing doubts about the work being completed in time.

Keeping this in mind, Shankaracharya's criticism can hurt the state government, which is keen to ensure that the mega event and the ensuing rath yatra pass off smoothly. Sources said peaceful conduct of these festivals would require co-operation from all sides including seers such the Shankaracharya.