Missing since Nagarjuna Besha, ‘sun and moon’ ornate returned to Jagannath temple

Puri: Putting all speculations to rest, the ‘sun and moon’ ornament that had gone missing since November 27 from Jagannath Temple here was brought back to the temple Friday.

According to the Jagannath Temple’s chief artisan Basant Moharana, the ornament that had gone missing after Nagarjuna Besha ritual was observed November 27 was returned to the temple’s ‘Garada’ (store). The ‘sun and moon’ piece returned by a servitor is the same piece that had gone missing November 27.

However, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is yet to issue a clarification in this regard.

Notably, a day after the rare Nagarjuna Besha, an employee of the temple was seen coming out of the temple carrying the decorative ‘sun and moon’ piece. When confronted by journalists, he said he was taking it to a senior servitor’s house.

Following this, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration had courted controversy for letting someone take away the precious decorative piece out of the temple.

As the news spread, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Krishan Kumar, district collector Balwant Singh and SJTA administrator (Niti) Jitendra Kumar Sahoo had conducted an inspection.

In his reaction, chief administrator Kumar had then said that he had asked administrator (Niti) to investigate into the incident and take strict action against those found guilty.

PNN