Notice to Srimandir Servitors, Puri MLA For Violating Rules During Snana Purnima

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) issued show cause notice to multiple servitors of Srimandir and Puri MLA Jayanta Sarangi for allegedly violating rules during Snana Purnima rituals on June 16.

The SJTA served the notice to eight to ten servitors and the MLA basing on the footages of the CCTV cameras installed near and around the Snana Mandap.

As per reports, some servitors were served notice for escorting Puri MLA Jayanta Sarangi to the Holy Trinity while the bathing rituals were being performed on the day.

The SJTA had strictly instructed the servitors to refrain from standing in front of the three sibling deities during the Snana Purnima rituals but the instructions were defied. The CCTV footage shows some servitors distributing the divine aromatic water and tulasi leaves to the devotees on Snana Purnima, which was also barred by the temple administration.

Later in the day, after an investigation based on the the CCTV footage, two servitors- Somnath Khuntia and Rajaram Khuntia were suspended for escorting MLA Sarangi to the Snana Mandap.

Asked on rumours of touching the deities on Snana Purnima, MLA Sarangi denied the allegations. “I did not touch the deities while having darshan of the Holy Trinity on Snana Purnima. The concerned officers of temple administration and sevayats present at the spot should have stopped me from going near the Lords and informed me about the restrictions. I am aware that touching the deities are restricted,” said Sarangi.

"I was not aware of the rules. I knew that touching the deities is sin but was unaware that touching the steps of Snana Mandap is also a sin. There were cops, but no one stopped me," says Puri MLA Jayanta Sarangi on #SnanaPurnimaRulesViolation pic.twitter.com/EfEyjMn7kp

— OTV (@otvnews) June 24, 2019