Bhog compensation row: Delay in rituals continues at Puri Srimandir

Puri: The row surrounding huge wastage of (bhog) 'Amhunia Mahaprasad' due to delay in rituals at Puri Srimandir on Monday continues to intensify as temple administration and servitors kept blaming each other for the second day in a row raising concerns.

The Suar and Mahasuar communities continue to stand firm in their demands seeking compensation for the losses incurred due to wastage of the bhog while the temple administration has urged the servitors to cooperate to restore normalcy in the temple rituals.

"We want compensation for losses incurred due to huge wastage of bhog. We also demand that the administrtaion should promise us to ensure safety of the bhog in future so that we do not suffer such losses. The administration outrightly rejected that they were not responsible in any way for this situation which was unwarranted. If they do not listen to our pleas we will not support,"

Temple chief administrator Pradip Jena said "We had a fruitful discussion with the Nijogs of the temple and after unanimity it was decided that all the rituals will be immediately restored. Cleaning of the wasted mahaprasad and dumping in Koili Baikuntha is being done on a war footing and we hope that the situation will normalise today only."

Jena further added that "Enquiry will be done and after detailed discussions on the issue in the next managing committee meeting, exemplary action will be taken."

Meanwhile, the standoff between the administration and servitors has thrown functioning of the temple out of gear.

Not only have the deties been deprived of their daily rituals but lakhs of devotees also continue to rue inability to have proper darshan and Mahaprasad.

"We have no business with the misunderstanding between the temple administration and servitors. What we want is that devotees and pilgrims who throng the shrine should at least be able to have Mahaprasad," a devotee said.

It is to be noted that rituals to be performed ahead of Puri Srimandir’s Jagamohan opening yesterday got delayed after the ‘Palia’ servitor supposed to perform the puja failed to turn up due to ill health. As the High Court had ruled that only Palia servitor can enter Garbha Gruha, so the rituals could not be performed.

This led to delay in serving of morning bhog to the deities that was served around 4 pm leading to the wastage of the afternoon bhog.