Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) today issued a notice advising all its employees, temple servitors, and devotees to refrain from consuming of ‘paan'(betel), gutkha, etc inside the holy premises of the 12th century shrine, its office and different bhakta nivases under its management.
In addition to that the SJTA has further advised against bringing flowers, bhog or food from outside in polythene carry bags inside the temple.
The notification said that since Shree Jagannath Temple is the holy place for the devotees, hence it is incumbent on the employees of the SJTA, sevayats and devotees to maintain its holiness. It is their basic and moral responsibility to keep these premises clean and tidy and maintain its holiness, it added.
“We want to curb the use of paan, gutkha. We have issued a notification today in this connection.From today no one will consume paan or gutkha inside the temple office. Also, inside the tempel. It should not be considered as my order but should be considered as the order of the Mahaprabhu,” informed Ranjan Kumar Das, Chief Administrator, SJTA briefing reporters today.
Das quoted Lord Brahma from ‘Niladri Mahodaya’ wherein he is telling King Indradyumna against consumption of paan, etc inside the temple which can end him in hell.