Puri: The impasse over holding the Banakalagi Niti of deities at Puri Srimandir ended on Tuesday following a meeting between the servitors and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). As a result, the servitors agreed to hold the Banakalagi Niti of the Holy Trinity on Wednesday.
According to reports, the Dutta Mohapatra Nijog servitors, Srimandir Managing Committee members, Daitapati Nijog servitors, SJTA, and Puri district Collector reached a consensus on holding Banakalagi Niti of deities on Wednesday.
It is worth mentioning here that a dispute between SJTA and Dutta Mohapatra Nijog had delayed the conduct of the Banakalagi Niti of Lord Jagannath for 11 days since Niladri Bije after the Ratha Jatra.
The dispute stemmed from the fact that the SJTA had fixed Wednesday as the auspicious day for holding Banakalagi Niti of deities, but the servitors’ body demanded that the ritual be held on Thursday. As per tradition, the Banakalagi Niti has been conducted on Wednesdays since 2018.
However, the servitors of Dutta Mohapatra Nijog have been demanding that the ritual be rescheduled for Thursday. They cited the Srimandir Record of Rights that recommends conducting the ritual on Thursday. However, the SJTA countered this agreement saying that as another ritual, ‘Ekanta Majana Niti’, is scheduled on Thursday, the other rituals will be delayed if the Banakalagi Niti is also held on Thursday.
However, the Dutta Mohapatra Nijog was adamant on its stand and the ritual could not be held due to the conflict between the SJTA and the servitors’ body.
Last week, the SJTA had served a show cause notice to Dutta Mohapatra Nijog over the disruption in holding the Banakalagi Niti ritual. The notice was issued under Sections 20 and 30 of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act seeking a reply within four days.
Following the notice, the servitors’ body held discussions with the SJTA and agreed to carry out the ritual on Wednesday.
