The Hindu : National : ‘Curbs on entry into Jagannath temple should go'

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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‘Curbs on entry into Jagannath temple should go'

Sib Kumar Das

All Hindus, irrespective of their origin and ethnicity, should be allowed into the shrine, says J.B. Patnaik

BERHAMPUR: Assam Governor J.B.Patnaik has initiated a campaign for reforms in the Sri Jagannath temple of Puri so that Hindus irrespective of their origin enter this major shrine of Hinduism.

Mr Patnaik, who held the post of Orissa Chief Minister for long had initiated a debate over the issue in 1996. But he had not succeeded in his efforts then. Recently he managed to break a centuries-old tradition in Assam by enabling women to enter Srimanta Shankar Dev's Pata Shatra, which was barred fro women. He now wants to bring about similar religious reform in Puri temple.

Speaking to The Hindu during his visit to the city to attend a civic reception, Mr Patnaik said it was unbearable that although we call the deity Jagannath or Lord of universe, we bar majority of the people, even Hindus not of Indian origin, from entering His abode in Puri. At a meeting of the Sri Jagannath Sanskruti Surakhya Vahini held in Puri on Saturday he called upon people of all walks of life to come together to discard such illogical tradition which divides even Hindus as per their place of birth. This meeting was chaired by Harekrushna Satpathy, Sanskrit scholar and Vice-Chancellor of Kendriya Sanskrit Pratisthan, Tirupati, dignitaries and some senior servitors of Puri.

Mr Patnaik pointed out that only some servitors were opposed to entry of all Hindus into the Sri Jagannath temple. It may be noted that till 1948 even dalits were barred from entering this temple. Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Orissa had not entered this temple as it was showing disparity to dalits. The then Chief Minister of Orissa, Harekrushna Mahtab had used police force to let dalits enter its premises.

Mr Patnaik felt such measure could not be used now and only strong united voice of people could bring about this change. He called upon all organisations promoting noble Jagannath culture to get united to strengthen the voice that all Hindus irrespective of their place of ethnicity should enter the temple. Mr Patnaik condemned the attacks on Hindus of other countries when they tried to enter the temple. “Our God is generous and all pervading we should not demean our Lord Jagannath by such mean-minded acts,” he said. In the past several western ISKCON devotees have been attacked by servitors when they tried to enter the Sri Jagannath temple.

When asked about possible outcry of some section of servitors of the temple and superstitious people, Mr Patnaik said he was not afraid of it as he felt his initiation of protest against this wrong tradition was a spiritual action which was long awaited. “I wait to see the day when people of all ethnicity enter Sri Jagannath temple hand in hand,” he said

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