Bhubaneswar: Expressing concern over the disruption of ritual at Lingaraj temple due to the controversy surrounding the servitors, Law Minister Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan warned that if such incidents recur, the government will take stringent action.
Terming disruption of services at Shiva shrine, Harichandan stated that the disruption of the deity’s rituals is unacceptable.
It is worth mentioning here that the Mahasura and Badu servitors stopped the Makar Sankranti rituals at the temple on Monday evening over a dispute as to which group would conduct the ‘Ghruta Kamala’ ritual. The deity was taken to the Makara Mandap outside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple on Monday evening and has been seated there since. As a result, the presiding deity at the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar remained hungry for the second consecutive day.
Minister said, “A meeting has been called by the Trust Board to address the issue, and the board will request the servitors to immediately resume the rituals. The Trust Board will also take a firm decision to prevent such disruptions in the future. To resolve the matter, a single-member commission will be set up under the chairmanship of a retired High Court judge. The commission will investigate the issue and submit a comprehensive report within two months.”
He continued: “The government would like to request that there should be no disruption in the rituals until the reorganization of the Record of Rights. The situation will return to normal soon. The Trust Board meeting will ensure that the rituals resume smoothly. “
