Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) urged the state government to allow the construction of chariots with only 49 days are left for famous Rath Yatra.
A meeting, chaired by Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Dibya Singha Deb, was held Monday regarding the making of Chariots. Dibya Singha Dev along with the members of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) decided that to go ahead with construction of the chariots for the car festival as it is “not a religious function”.
Sources said, even though the wood for making of chariots has reached Puri, the construction work is yet to start amidst the lockdown.
All the previous rituals like Akshyay Tritiya and Chandan Jatra before making the chariots have been performed by the temple authority and servitors of Srimandir April 26.
Deb said the temple has already lost at least eight days and suspended the chariot-making process from April 26 to May 4 while abiding by the lockdown norms. He said the temple committee will apprise the state government about its decision.
The government will give the final approval before the beginning of the chariot making. There was, however, no word from the government so far regarding the chariot construction.
“Construction activities have been allowed by the Ministry of Home Affairs in all three zones i.e. red, orange and green during the third phase of lockdown,” added Gajapati Maharaj.
Gajapati clarified that they are waiting for final decision of the state government regarding making of Rath. However, the state government may take final call regarding the making of chariots Tuesday, he added.
He also said that the Puri town comes under the green zone as no COVID-19 case has been reported there and so there shouldn’t be any restriction on the construction activities.
According to the Srimandir Managing Committee, chariots would be constructed at Rath Khala which is far away from the public place. The committee members will take special care about social distancing norm when the carpenters are engaged in the chariot making. As a result, chariot construction will not violate the lockdown norms.
The meeting was held through video-conferencing. Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Dibya Singha Deb, Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Srimandir Chief Administrator Krishan Kumar, Puri District Collector Balwant Singh, SP Umashankar Das and MP Raghunath Mohapatra participated in the meeting.
PNN
