Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, who was credited with many firsts, had the distinction of having foiled a British government’s design to end Puri royals’ rights over Srimandir. Das, an eminent lawyer, fought a legal battle on behalf of the royals and saved the management of the 12th century shrine from being taken over by the British.
Exiled Gajapati
Gajapati Dibyasingha Dev (III) was convicted of murder and exiled to Andaman in 1878. The king died there after a few years of imprisonment.
Citing Dibyasingha’s absence as the superintendent of Srimandir, the British planned to effect certain amendments to the Jagannath Temple Act 1840. It argued that Dibyasingha’s son Mukund Dev was a minor and hence unable to administer the temple.
“The then Puri collector KG Gupta had sent a proposal to his higher-ups in 1883 urging them to appoint a trust or a committee for the management of the temple. Soon, the government filed a suit at Cuttack civil court,” wrote former Srimandir official and temple’s managing committee member Mahimohan Tripathy in his book ‘Srimandir Etihasara Keteka Chhinna Prusta’.
The British attempt to meddle with Srimandir affairs invited sharp reactions from servitors, devotees and Oriya people at large. Many religious scholars, eminent personalities and intellectuals sent letters and memoranda to the government to protest the civil suit, said eminent researcher on Jagannath culture Naresh Chandra Dash.
Dibyasingha’s mother Queen Suryamani Pattamahadei urged Madhu babu to plead on behalf of her in the civil court.
Legal duel
Madhu babu, a Christian, pleaded for the queen to preserve the sanctity of Srimandir. He told the court that Gajapati is the first and foremost servitor of Lord Jagannath and he performs Chhera Panhara (sweeping) service before the deities during Rath Yatra.
“Madhu babu argued that depriving the king of his traditional rights at Srimandir will affect the sanctity of Rath Yatra. He openly declared that the British government would not be allowed to play with the sentiments of Odias,” claimed Padmaja Satpathy, complier of ‘Jagannath Tattaw Ratnabali’.
However, the lower court had given its judgment in favour of the government. However, Madhu babu did not accept his defeat and went to Calcutta to consult some barristers like Gurudas Banerji, Evans and Woodruff on the case.
Madhu babu had filed an appeal in Calcutta High Court and prepared the case briefings to help the lawyers, who pleaded the case on behalf of the queen.
An HC bench had set aside three days for the appellant lawyers to plead the case. But, the queen’s lawyers finished their arguments in three hours. The judges appreciated appellant lawyers’ lucid arguments in the open court. However, the lawyers gave all credit to Madhu babu.
Compromise struck
The British invited Madhu babu to strike a compromise with the queen. As per the compromise, the rights of Puri royals at Srimandir were restored. Queen Suryamani was given the charge of Srimandir till Mukunda Dev attained adulthood, Dash claimed.
Priyaranjan Swain
