Kendrapara: The management of a 300-year-old Jagannath temple in the district is deliberating with the government and local community members for removal of barricade near the sanctum sanctorum for unhindered darshan of the deity.
The Jagannath temple in a sleepy village in Kendrapara district had hogged spotlight over a decade back over caste flare-up on Dalits’ right for darshan of the Lord.
The Dalits were earlier denied access into the temple and were only allowed to peep through the inbuilt holes on the temple boundary wall to catch a glimpse of the Lord.
However, after days of simmering dispute that had threatened to disrupt peace, the upper castes had relented and the Dalits had broken the age-old barriers by entering the temple January 14, 2007.
The Orissa High Court had also ruled that the Dalits have the right to enter any Hindu temple.
Till 2006, members of the Dalit communities were paying obeisance through the nine holes created on the temple wall while upper caste people had access to the main temple.
The issue of Dalit entry into the temple had made two the communities confront each other.
The administration had later brokered a truce between the warring groups. It had been decided then that the sanctum sanctorum of the temple will remain out of bounds for devotees.
Both the caste groups were permitted access into the temple premises. But, the devotees could have darshan from outside the temple structure from a barricaded site.
The in-built holes of the outer wall, that symbolized the caste divide, had also been blocked by the district administration.
Devotees and followers of Jagannath cult are disappointed over denial of the Lord’s darshan from a close distance.
“So we have begun the process for removal of barricade structure so that everybody could go close to the deity for darshan. People from all sections will be taken into confidence,” said Sibendra Bhanjadeo, scion of Kanika Jamindari and trustee of the temple.
“The matter has been taken up for discussion. Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb has assured us of all helps,” he said.
Rajkanika tehsildar Nihar Ranjan Mallick said no proposal has been received by them from any quarters in this regard so far. However the administration will act as facilitator if consensus emerges over this sensitive issue.
