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Puri: A day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urged his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik to retract his government’s decision to raze down Mangu Mutt as part of the demolition drive near Srimandir, uncertainity is looming over the fate of the centuries-old mutt associated with highest spiritual leader of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev.
After razing of Languli, Emar and Bada Akhada mutts near Lord Jagannath Temple, the Puri district administration has already completed demarcation process for demolition of the Mangu mutt to make way for a heritage corridor within 75 metres of ‘Meghanad Pacheri’ of the Jagannath Temple, however the Punjab CM’s request for preservation of the mutt has now put the government in a fix.
In this regard, a team led by legal cell chairman of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee met Puri Collector Balwant Singh today and held extensive discussions in connection with the proposed demolition drive.
After the meeting, the team leader Jagdeep Singh said, “We informed the district administrator that the Mangu Mutt also known as Punjabi mutt in Puri has close ties with the tradition in Puri. They assured us that the main heritage site (gadi ghar, chamber of the mutt's mahant) will remain intact but only the encroachments are likely to be removed.”
Jaydeep Singh, committee member said, “Sikhs welcome renovation of the pilgrim sites but the heritage of the Sikhism associated in Puri should also come to everyone’s attention."
Mahant of the mutt Bhawani Shankar Das Maharaj said, “I hope that our attempts to save the mutt will help in ensuring safety of its religious sanctity."
Puri Collector Balwant Singh had clarified yesterday that the main deity of the mutt will not be disturbed and steps will be taken to ensure that religious process and rituals are conducted in a hassle-free manner. “Apart from temporary setups for business and livelihood, we have planned to hand them over modes of support for their long term rehabilitation,” he had said.
Constructed on an area around 12,000 square feet around 450 years ago near the Srimandir, Mangu mutt has huge religious significance for the Sikh community, as Sri Guru Nanak Dev had visited the holy temple several times to spread his universal message of the oneness of god.
