Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Friday apprised the Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium about the steps taken by the temple administration on the proposals of the apex court.
Subramanium, who is on a two-day visit to discuss issues pertaining to Srimandir reforms, held talks with several stakeholders.
“We had a detailed discussion on a wide range of topics like when Srimandir was built, its traditions, hereditary rights of the servitors, festivals, especially Rath Yatra, temple managing committee, Srimandir Record of Rights and the types of servitors at the 12th century shrine,” SJTA chief administrator Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said, adding that they also dwelt upon the passing of Srimandir administration from the kings to the state government.
Subramanium sought to know about the steps taken by the temple managing committee on the 12-point proposals of the apex court and the discussions with the servitors in this regard. “Out of the 12 proposals, the servitors are open to comply with nine. However, they are reluctant about abolition of hereditary service and collection of donations, especially for annadana atika, and amendment to Srimandir laws,” Mohapatra said, adding that a sub-committee has been working on the issues.
The amicus curie expressed pleasure after learning that the Srimandir accounts would be made online by February, a source said.
Subramanium was also
informed that a committee has been working on reducing the number of temple officials and about the temple administration taking over the management of Srimandir kitchen.
“The committee has held several meetings with the Suar-Mahasuar Nijog on the issues,” Mohapatra said.
Subramanium began his day paying obeisance to the Srimandir deities before holding discussions with the SJTA authorities. He then headed to the Govardhana Mutt where he held a one-and-a-half-hour closed-door meeting with Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati. The Puri seer apprised the amicus curie of the Srimandir’s rich heritage, tradition and culture, sources said.
Later in the evening, Subramanium held discussions with the three-member committee of the state government, Law department secretary and Puri District Judge at the Circuit House, a source said.
Subramanium is scheduled to take suggestions from the Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Revenue and Disaster Management Maheswar Mohanty, MP Pinaki Mishra and Advocate General Saturday. Sources said the amicus curie would hold discussions with the temple management committee at around 11am Saturday and with the Chhatisa Nijog around 4pm where he would discuss about the three proposals of the Supreme Court out of the 12 on which the Srimandir servitors are non-cooperative.