Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Jul 12:

Jagannath Surakshya Bahini (JSB), a cultural outfit for the protection of Jagannath culture today filed complaints against the chief administrator of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the officer-in-charge of the chariots at the Kumbharpada police station in Odisha’s Puri over the climbing of chariots by devotees despite a ban on it.

It may be recalled here that Kumbharpada police on Sunday arrested a person identified as Deepesh Saha, a native of Gujarat, for allegedly climbing atop Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra in the wee hours on July 8 while the chariots were parked in Saradhabali in front of Mausima Temple.  Saha had also allegedly tried to climb the Nandighosha chariot.

Saha was arrested on the basis of screening of CCTV grabs on the allegations of devotees climbing onto the chariots.

On the same day, a girl claimed to be the daughter of a servitor had also climbed atop the Nandighosha chariot of Lord Jagannath creating much hue and cry.  Following which the servitors had come to her defence claiming that she is the daughter of a fellow servitor and they have the privilege to have the darshan of the Lords on the chariots.

Notably, the SJTA had imposed a ban on climbing the chariots this year.

Govardhan Peeth Shankaracharya had ruled against devotees climbing the chariots and touching the deities during the annual Rath Yatra.

The Orissa High Court on June 20, 2014, had upheld the Shankaracharya’s stand that no devotee should be allowed to mount the chariots or touch the deities.