Puri: Planned demolition of famed Bada Akhada Mutt near Puri Srimandir by district administration was postponed Tuesday amidst vehement opposition by mutt saints.
The seer of the mutt Harinarayan Das claimed that the mutt never posed a threat to the temple and neither it is unsafe. He alleged that the administration is victimising them.
Even though the resident saints of the mutt had vacated the place, the demolition was postponed after the administration failed to convince the monks during a discussion held Tuesday.
Seer Das further alleged the administration of pressurising him to sign documents mentioning that the mutt is in a dilapidated condition. The Endowment Commission or ASI never mentioned any such thing, Das added.
The Akhila Bharat Sadhusantha Samiti has criticised the eviction drive and said the state government as well as the district administration is showing dictatorial behaviour. President of the committee Sankarananda Giri criticised the government for demolishing the mutts without consulting the mutt seers.
“The eviction process should be done with consent of all the stakeholders as the mutts are heritages of the country,” said the president of the committee.
Similarly, the Kataki mutt chief, Bijay Ramanand Dash said, “The mutt was never unsafe or a danger zone. The administration should let us know how it declared the mutt unsafe.”
The district administration had earlier planned to bring down all the eighty five rooms of the double story building including about twenty seven shops. Sources, however said, the small temple with idols of Sitaram, the gadi(seat of founder) and idol of Guru Gopal Das, temple kitchen and a room for Mahant would be spared.
Recounting the history and importance of this mutt, Mahant Harinarayan said following Muslim attacks on Hindu temples and shrines, it was resolved in the council of Panch Akhada of Naga sadhus, who were working as religious security of Hindu shrines, that they will protect Puri the abode of Lord Jagannath considered as one of the four dhamas (important shrines) of Hindus.
A security garrison was established in 1352 AD by Guru Gopal Das and hundreds of Naga sadhus were deployed. They fought for 14 years with attackers and pushed them away from Puri, Mahant Harinarayan, the sixteenth Mahant in the line of succession said.
In a tragic historic incident in 1954 Naga sadhus clashed with police as a result thousands of them got killed. In the wake of killings, the Naga sadhus stopped coming to Puri.
The Mahant, who is only sixth Odia to head a mutt in Puri, said since last eighteen years local goons had assaulted many sadhus for extortion and none came to their rescue. He welcomed the government’s direction to change the situation.