TV
A distressed devotee from Madhya Pradesh has accused servitors at the Jagannath Temple in Puri of enabling VIP darshan through direct cash payments, while denying access to ordinary pilgrims.
Ashok Kumar Gupta, the pilgrim who raised the issue, claimed that unless pilgrims are willing to pay, they are turned away from the sanctum. "They (servitors) are demanding money for darshan. VIPs are getting access after paying. We can’t afford it, so they are turning us away. This kind of discrimination is not acceptable. I want justice," he said, visibly agitated.
Gupta questioned the moral and spiritual basis of such practices: “What kind of dharma is this? What kind of belief is this? People from all over the world come to Puri with devotion to see Lord Jagannath. How can money decide who gets darshan?”
He urged both temple authorities and government officials to intervene, calling for transparent guidelines around darshan and strict action against the alleged monetization of divine access.
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As of now, there has been no official statement from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) or the Odisha government in response to the allegations. The claims come during the peak season of Rath Yatra, when the temple witnesses an influx of devotees from across the world.
