Odisha: Missing Nagarjuna Besha Ornate Of Lord Jagannath Returns To Temple Garada

Puri: The controversy surrounding the missing ornate of Lord Jagannath during the Nagarjuna Besha that attracted criticism from devotees and Jagannath culture experts has finally been put to rest after the missing 'sun and moon' ornate were brought back to the Srimandir  'Garada' on Friday.

Chief Artisan of the Jagannath temple, Basant Moharana said that the ornate used in the rare Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath on November 27 is back to its original place.

According to Moharana, the same missing ornate has been returned by a servitor and kept safely in the 'Garada'.  However, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is yet to issue a clarification pertaining to the missing ornate.

In a bizarre incident, an employee of the temple on November 28 was caught carrying a decorative piece used in the Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath allegedly to the house of a senior servitor of the 12th-century shrine. Following this, criticism poured in against the SJTA for letting a precious piece of the attire fall in the hands of a temple employee.

The Odisha government had earlier announced to keep the Nagarjuna Besha costumes of the holy Lords in a museum for preservation soon after the observation of the 'Besha Olagi' or the taking off the costumes ritual. The decision in this regard was also approved by the Chhattisa Nijog and temple managing committee. Unfortunately, an employee dared to cast his eyes on the 'Sun and Moon' ornate used in Lord Jagannath's 'Handia' (crown) and allegedly picked those at the behest of one of the influential servitors.