Ruckus at Chhatisha Niyoga meeting in Puri

Puri: Chaos broke out in the Chhatisha Niyoga meeting held here on Monday over the issue of authorised and unauthorised servitors.

While the meeting was held to discuss smooth conduct of rituals during all events of Rath Yatra, when the issue of authorised and unauthorised servitors was raised, tension erupted. As per sources, there was almost a face off between servitors and administration. However, the matter got resolved soon and discussions went on peacefully, said the sources.

Earlier, in the meeting of Niti Sub-Committee here, detailed discussions on carrying out all the rituals from Ratha Yatra to Niladri Bije in a timely and disciplined manner were held.

Chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Pradeep Jena, district collector Aravind Agrawal and the members of Niti sub-committee were present in the meeting that discussed on properly carrying out all the rituals of Ratha Yatra, Bahuda Yatra, Suna Besha, Adharapana, Niladri Bije.

"Today we discussed on how to streamline the rituals to be performed from June 19 to Niladri Bije," said Jena.

On the other hand, the servitors' families will not be allowed atop the deities' chariot as per the 2014 verdict of the High Court, informed administration officials.

The sub-committee also discussed on proper arrangements for a disciplined Bahuda Yatra and evening rituals at the Puri temple.

"It would be good if the families of the servitors are allowed to have darshan of the deities during the festival in the same way they were allowed for half-an-hour during the Deva Snana Purnima," said secretary of Daitapati Niyog Premananda Das Mohapatra.