Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) would support hereditary rights of Srimandir servitors while presenting its views on the temple reforms before Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium, who is scheduled to reach the Holy City September 20.
The SJTA would plead for servitors’ hereditary rights to serve the presiding deities of Srimandir. At the same time, we would support a limited number of servitors who would serve the deities
PK Mahapatra,
SJTA chief administrator
However, the temple administration would plead for restricting the number of servitors for better management of the 12th century shrine.
A Srimandir sub-committee led by Gajapati king Dibyasingha Deb has prepared a blueprint for explaining the SJTA’s stand on hereditary rights of servitors to the amicus curiae.
“The SJTA would plead for servitors’ hereditary rights to serve the presiding deities of Srimandir. At the same time, we would support a limited number of servitors who would serve the deities,” said SJTA chief administrator PK Mahapatra.
It is worth mentioning here that the SC had made 12 proposals for bringing reforms at Srimandir. All the stakeholders of the shrine including the servitors have reached a consensus to implement nine of the 12 proposals, sources said.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee had constituted sub-committees to deliberate on the three remaining proposals, including one on abolition of servitors’ hereditary rights to serve Lord Jagannath and his siblings.
“Srimandir has its unique tradition and culture. It mustn’t be compared with other shrines. The sub-committee headed by Gajapati king has supported hereditary service at Srimandir. But, it is in favour of limiting the number of servitors. The affected servitors would be compensated as per the SC order,” Mahapatra added.
A three-member committee, constituted by the state government to study the administrative set-ups of some other shrines in the country vis-à-vis Srimandir, has also supported hereditary rights of servitors. However, it also supported cutting down on the strength of servitors.
According to sources, the SC-appointed amicus curiae is scheduled to hold discussions with Puri Shankaracharya Nischalanand Saraswati, Gajapati king, Puri district judge, SJTA, Srimandir managing committee, SJTA chief administrator, district collector and superintendent of police and temple servitors for two days starting September 21.
