Bhubaneswar: Ending all speculations, the office of Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb Thursday denied all reports that suggested finalisation of an heir to the Puri throne.
The clarification follows several reports – especially on social media – that suggested the titular king of Puri has adopted a son since he doesn’t have any.
The position of ‘Gajapati’, as the titular king of Puri is formally addressed, bears significance since he is deeply interconnected with the rituals of Lord Jagannath Temple. The king has many roles to play – especially during the car festival of the Lords. Besides, he also heads several committees pertaining to the administration and management of the temple.
It may be mentioned here that the rumor mills went abuzz days after a picture surfaced showing the erstwhile royal family of Puri with another former royal family of the state suggesting a young man in the picture to be the new titular king of Puri.
In its brief, the Gajapati’s office said that the other family in the picture is Nilagiri royal family and the picture was taken several years back during the engagement ceremony of Nilagiri prince Janmejay Mardaraj Harichandan.