Many accept SC order with heavy heart

Puri: Many devotees and servitors of Srimandir have expressed displeasure over the Supreme Court’s order cancelling this year’s Rath Yatra in the Holy City here.

However, some devotees have opined that they would accept the apex court’s verdict as the will of Lord Jagannath.

Senior Daitapati servitor Binayak Dasmahapatra said that the apex court’s order on this year’s Rath Yatra has hurt the sentiments of crores of devotees. “The Rath Anukula ritual was not performed at the Rath Yard. It was carried out on the temple premises. So, there were apprehensions with regard to the organisation of this year’s Rath Yatra. The cancellation of the mega festival is a dark chapter in the history of Srimandir. We are not privy to this kind of a situation in last many years,” Dasmahapatra added.

Researcher Naresh Chandra Dash, however, said that the Supreme Court’s verdict must be obeyed by all. “We have to accept this verdict as the will of Lord Jagannath. Nothing in this world will happen without the Lord’s wish. Preparations for this year’s Rath Yatra were in full swing. Perhaps, the Lord himself is unwilling to descend upon the Grand Road as there were discussions that the festival could be organised without the presence of devotees,” Dash added.

Saroj Behera, a devotee, said that he would accept the court order with a heavy heart. “The court order must have hurt the sentiments of Odia people. We thought that the state government would organise the festival without the presence of devotees. We have to wait for a year to watch Rath Yatra. The Covid-19 pandemic has prevailed over the sentiments of devotees,” he added.

Prasanna Mahapatra, another devotee, has urged the state government to file a review petition in the SC. “The Rath Yatra can be organised on the Grand Road without the presence of devotees. We all should try for this. Lord Jagannath is the symbol of the faith of 4 crore Odias,” Mahapatra said.

Sociologist Siddhartha Ray urged people to obey the SC order in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Huge amount of money and large number of logs have been utilised for chariot construction. The state government should take steps to preserve the three chariots for next year’s Rath Yatra,” he pleaded.