Ministers, VIPs defy ban, touch holy idols

Puri: Many VIPs, including a few BJD ministers, touched the deities during 'pahandi' violating the state government's ban order. Though only a section of servitors are supposed to execute the 'pahandi' ritual, a number of people reportedly owing allegiance to some influential servitors, were engaged in the act.
Hundreds of VIPs touched the deities inside the temple."We tried to prevent them but in vain. Policemen and temple officials stood like mute spectators. Some people also came in the guise of priests," Narayan Mohapatra, a servitor told mediapersons.
In 2014, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) imposed a blanket ban on the access of devotees onto chariots and touching of the deities (either inside the temple or on chariots) during the nine-day Rath Yatra. The temple administration has managed to execute the order in 2014 and 2015.
On July 1, shrine's chief administrator Suresh Mohapatra said the administration will strictly enforce the rule this year too. The devotees will be allowed to touch the chariots only after those reach the Gundicha Temple, said Mohapatra. He had also said devotees will not be allowed inside the temple during 'pahandi'.
Mohapatra feigned ignorance about the violation of the rule on Wednesday. "I was present near the sanctum sanctorum to oversee the 'pahandi' procession. We did not allow any devotee into the sanctum sanctorum nor Jagamohan. We will find out if anyone (except the servitors) touched the deities near 'natya mandap' and 'baisi pahancha' of the temple," Mohapatra said.
Some priests said the presence of VIPs inside the temple led to chaos and delay in solemnization of the rituals. The 'pahandi' procession was scheduled to start at 9.45 am and end at 3.30 pm. But the chaotic situation inside the temple delayed the rituals by an hour. Everybody wanted to touch the deities," said Santosh Panda, another priest.
Former minister and senior Congress leader Suresh Routray admitted he touched the deities. "Not only me, but a number of administrative officers, their relatives and some ministers also touched the deities during pahandi," Routray told the media.
The commoners reacted sharply. "We came from far-off places for a darshan of the deities. Unfortunately, we were not allowed inside the temple whereas VIPs gave money to priests and entered the shrine," said Mausumi Tripathy from Sundargarh.