Puri: Almost a year after, the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) today revoked suspension of two senior Daita servitors and a Pratihari servitor for a temporary period.
Kasinath Dasmohapatra and his son Jayakrushna, who were placed under suspension for their alleged involvement in the much hyped Brahma Paribartan fiasco, can now take part in the rites and rituals of the trinities for upcoming Ratha Yatra.
Similarly, the temple administration also allowed Artatrana Pratihari, a member of Pratihari Nijog, to serve the deities during the forthcoming grand festival.
“Both Daita Nijog and Pratihari Nijog and the suspended servitors personally requested to allow them to participate in the ritual of Lord Jagannath. So, we reinstate them in the service temporarily. We will observe their conduct in this period and accordingly final decision will be taken over revocation of their suspension”, chief temple administrator Suresh Mohapatra said.
Meanwhile, Haladhar Das Mohapatra, chief Badagrahi (custodian) of Lord Balabhadra, welcomed the administration’s move. “ With the revocation of suspension, the long term controversy came to an end. They are like our brothers. We will cooperate with them in all matters”, Das Mohapatra said
Under attack from different quarters for alleged mismanagement in Lord Jagannath's 'Brahma Paribartan' last year, the temple administration had suspended the father-son duo on charges of creating chaos inside the temple leading to delay of ritual on June 15, the day of changing Brahma (life substance). They were suspended from the Daita Seva under section 21 (B) of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954, SJTA official had said.
'Brahma Paribartan' is the most secret and sacred ritual of Lord Jagannath when the selected Daitapati priests transfer Brahma from old idols to the new ones during the Nabakalebara festival.
Similarly, Pratihari had been suspended for allegedly violating high court order. The Orissa high court in 2014 had imposed a blanket ban on pilgrims' access to chariots following the recommendation of Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati. But, the senior priest was found escorting a woman devotee and helping her to climb atop the chariot of Lord Jagannath. He was suspended under Section 21-B of the Temple Act.