Puri: At a time when religious scholars and intellectuals are arguing for proper publicity for the Jagannath culture, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has put a project related to publication of books on Lord Jagannath and Srimandir on the
backburner.
The temple administration has virtually abandoned the project after
unveiling a book on the Jagannath culture in 2009.
According to sources, the SJTA had decided to launch a project for publication of altogether 11 books on Jagannath culture and Srimandir at a meeting of the shrine managing committee May 23, 2007. The temple administration had constituted a special committee to publish books on the historical and spiritual aspects of Jagannath culture, legends associated with the 12th century shrine and the link between Srimandir and mutts in Puri.
Besides, the committee was asked to produce print materials on the social and cultural aspects of Jagannath culture. The SJTA had appointed an editorial panel under the chairmanship of noted researcher Surendra Kumar Mishra to collect and compile materials for the books. The editorial board was provided with special rooms, a research assistant and a DTP operator, sources said.
Within a couple of years of its appointment, the editorial board had come up with a book on descriptions of Jagannath culture in religious texts. The book, which was released at a special function in Bhubaneswar October 10, 2009, claimed that Lord Jagannath finds mention in at least 276 religious texts, written in Sanskrit.
Besides, the book had clearly stated that as many as 32 religious texts have descriptions on Mahaprasad, the cooked offering to Lord Jagannath. The book was a huge hit among devotees as well as researchers.
Soon, the temple administration initiated a process to publish the second book on Lord Jagannath. In the meantime, it had reconstituted the editorial board July 22, 2011. The newly-formed editorial board was asked to work in tandem with the special committee, constituted to supervise the publication work.
However, the ambitious project was put on the backburner soon after the appointment of the new editorial board. The research assistant and the DTP operator were engaged in other works. Besides, the two rooms allocated to the editorial board were utilised as offices of two senior SJTA officials, sources said.
“The project was virtually abandoned soon after the completion of 50 per cent work for the second book. Researchers attached to the project had stopped their work seven years ago,” said a source.
When contacted, SJTA public relations officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda said the project has not been abandoned. “The process is on to publish the second book on Jagannath culture,” he added.
PNN
