Devotees barred from entering Jagannath Temple on Rath Yatra

BHUBANESWAR: In a departure from the past, devotees will not be allowed to enter Jagannath Temple in Puri on Rath Yatra on July 7. According to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), devotees can watch Rath Yatra rituals only outside the shrine.
"We will not allow devotees to watch rituals (Pahandi and Nabajouban darshan) inside the shrine on Rath Yatra," temple managing committee member and servitor Madhab Mohapatra said.
SJTA said such a restriction was imperative to ensure smooth conduct of Rath Yatra rituals in view of a challenging situation this time. The rituals of Nabajouban Darshan and Netra Utsav will be performed on the same day as the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are pulled. Nabajouban Darshan and Netra Utsav are observed on two separate days preceding Rath Yatra. Such a situation had last arisen in 1970.
"Since a complex set of rituals of three days would be performed on July 7, we need more time and better coordination among servitors of different associations," said Madhab Pujapanda, a servitor.
Madhab Pujapanda, who is also member of temple managing committee, said, "Presence of crowd inside the temple would affect the conduct of rituals."
The SJTA said only a few servitors would be allowed to stay on chariots to ensure that the view of the deities is not obstructed, and devotees catch a clear glimpse of the holy trinity.
As per the standard operating procedure (SOP), altogether 74 people (60 servitors and temple staff, and 14 ghantuas who would beat gongs and cymbals) would be present on Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra. Devi Subhadra's Darpadalana chariot will have total 62 people (50 servitors and temple staff, and 12 ghantuas) and Lord Jagannath's Nandighosh chariot will have total 86 people (16 ghantuas, and 70 servitors and temple staff).
"We have asked the temple officers and Daitapati servitors to identify unauthorised persons on chariots and immediately evict them. Our aim is to make the chariots less crowded. The servitors on duty have been requested not to stand in front of the deities. We want devotees to catch a glimpse of the deities on the chariots," a Puri district official said.
Significantly, three teams consisting of senior district officials and police personnel have been formed to ensure that unwanted priests and people in the guise of priests stay away from the chariots. Each chariot will remain under the custody of a caretaker (badagrahi daitapati servitor).
Like previous years, photography and videography on the chariots are strictly prohibited. According to the SOP, devotees should not throw bhog, including coconut and other fruits, on the chariots.