Puri: The Srimandir Record of Rights (RoR) has recognised as many as 119 categories of servitors. However, the temple document has laid down certain special qualifications for Pujapanda servitors.
According to the temple tradition, the male children of servitors’ families have the hereditary rights to serve Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. They can participate in the performance of Srimandir rituals from their childhood.
However, the male children of Pujapanda servitors’ families have to go through a rigorous learning process and face a qualifying examination to establish their rights to serve the presiding deities. The youngsters of Pujapanda families can apply for Srimandir service only after the marriage while the temple norms do not prescribe the same for any other servitor group.
The male children of Pujapanda families learn several hymns, including Chalu, Paitamantra, Rosahoma, Suryapuja, Dwarapalpuja, Sribasudev puja, Srijagannath puja, Subhadra puja, Sudarshan puja, Sridevi puja and Bhudevi puja under the guidance of a senior Brahmin priest of the shrine. Sources said the youngsters of Pujapanda families go through some hand-written notes to learn the hymns.
After going through a rigorous learning session, the youths of Pujapanda families send their applications to the Pujapanda Niyog of Srimandir seeking permission to perform rituals at the temple. The Niyog initially deputes two senior priests to interview the applicants and report it about their grasp of hymns and religious texts.
The successful candidates of the preliminary rounds are told to go through a final interview at the Markandeswar Mahadev temple on Srimandir premises. Senior members of Pujapanda Niyog, including its president and secretary, interview all the candidates and select a few of them for Srimandir service.
The Niyog usually gives a certificate each to all successful candidates. The unsuccessful candidates are advised to continue their study and work on their weak points within a certain period of time.
After receiving certificates from Pujapanda Niyog, the successful candidates submit their applications to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). Then, the shrine administration provides the certificate holders headgears and sends them for one-year apprenticeship under some senior Pujapanda servitors.
“After completion of one year apprenticeship, the young servitors are recognised as permanent servants to the Lord. The Pujapanda Niyog then allows these new recruits to perform rituals at the chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath during the annual Rath Yatra,” said a senior Srimandir servitor.
Earlier, the Shankaracharya of Gobardhan Peeth in the city was assigned to conduct the examinations for Pujapanda servitors. However, the practice had been abandoned long ago.
“The temple RoR has prescribed a set of examinations for Pujapanda servitors. No one can be allowed to perform the Pujapanda Seva (service) without qualifying the examinations. However, no such guidelines have been laid down for other categories of servitors,” said Pujapanda Niyog secretary Madhab Chandra Pujapanda Samanta.
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