Suna Besha Ritual Delay On Pausha Purnima: Servitors Blame Administration  

Puri: Even as the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has ordered a probe into delay in rituals of Suna Besha at Srimandir on the occasion of Pausha Purnima, a section of servitors on Saturday held the administration responsible for the incident.

Attributing the hold-up to administrative negligence, the sect of Puspalaka servitors said the incident occurred during the Nagarjuna Besha too. The servitors demanded that flowers and thermocol should be used in the upcoming Suna Besha of Lord Jagannath and His siblings on the occasion of Dola Purnima.

According to sources, the Bhandar Mekap had allegedly refused to hand over the jewelleries of Lord Jagannath due to presence of three more Singhari servitors on Ratnasighasan on the occasion of Puspabhisek. It led to a dispute between two groups of servitors resulting in delay of about five hours in the golden attire rituals of the deities.

Due to the setback, devotees were deprived of the spectacular 'Rajarajeswara Besha' or 'Suna Besha'. Besides, devotees were devoid of availing Mahaprasad on the auspicious occasion.

District Collector of Puri Samarth Verma today held discussion with Singhari servitors in this regard.

Harekrushana Singhari, secretary of Puspalaka Nijog said, "The delay is result of negligence in the administrative level. The duty officer on the day orchestrated the fiasco. It seems vindictive."

"Due to such dispute, we will be forced to adorn Lord Jagannath with flowers and thermocol in upcoming Suna Besha," Harekrushana noted in a cold tone.

"Gold jewelleries were not provided to us by the administration so the ritual could not proceed as usual. Therefore, we had to stay at Ratnasighasan for more than 4 hours. If it was not administration's fault, then who was to blame," questioned Bijay Krushna Singhari, Palia servitor.

The reaction of the temple administration could not be obtained on the allegations of the servitors.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)