Puri: Concerned over unauthorised dance performances before the chariots during Rath Yatra, a coalition of cultural and heritage organisations Wednesday submitted a six-point memorandum to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and district authorities in Puri.
The memorandum was submitted by Puri Parampara Suraksha Manch, Achyutant Trust and eight other organisations. A seven-member delegation led by forum convener Roma Dasmohapatra met the district administration and police authorities to press for stronger safeguards to preserve the traditional customs and rituals associated with the festival.
The organisations demanded that the authorities formulate and publicly announce a clear policy governing all dance performances held in front of the chariots during Rath Yatra. They urged officials to specify the eligibility criteria on which permissions would be granted.
The memorandum further called for eligibility standards for performers to be determined in consultation with temple traditions, established rituals and the opinions of senior servitors. The groups also sought an independent inquiry into allegations of unauthorised entry, breaches of security cordons and other irregularities linked to performances during the festival.
The signatories demanded strict action against any servitor or official found misusing their position to facilitate violations of established norms.
A key issue raised in the memorandum was the performance of Devadasi or Mahari dance. The organisations expressed concern over what they described as the commercialisation of the traditional dance form, which they said was historically a sacred ritual performed exclusively in service of Lord Jagannath. They argued that presenting the dance outside its traditional religious context for commercial purposes was inappropriate and contrary to its original sanctity.
Among those present during the submission of the memorandum were senior journalist Prasanna Lenka, social activist Lalatendu Mishra and women’s organisation leader Suryakanti Pradhan, along with representatives of the participating organisations.
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