Kendrapara: Keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the residents of Satabhaya, the district administration has recently given a proposal to the state government for shifting of the centuries-old Panchubarahi temple from Satabhaya to Bagapatia rehabilitation colony before this monsoon. The administration has asked the government to allocate Rs 15 lakh for the purpose.
The religious sentiments of the people of Satabhaya, who are facing constant threat from sea erosion, are attached to the deities of the shrine. The residents believe that the deities have been saving their lives and properties from the marauding sea. As many as 571 families of Satabhaya village are going to be resettled at Bagapatia rehabilitation colony in view of the sea erosion.
During their interaction with the administrative officials, the people of Satabhaya urged the administration to take steps for shifting of the temple to the rehabilitation colony in Bagapatia, said Rajnagar tehsildar Khirod Behera.
During a meeting, under the chairmanship of collector Debaraj Senapati, to review the progress of the rehabilitation colony project, it was decided to move the proposal before the state government, Behera said.
The collector has given the proposal to MD OSDMA-cum-SRC-cum-principal secretary to government RD department, Pradipta Mohapatra, for shifting of the shrine and sought an allocation of Rs 15 lakh for the purpose, he added.
A unique characteristic of the Panchubarahi temple is that male devotees are debarred from entering the sanctum sanctorum during the bathing ritual of the deities. Besides, women belonging to sabar tribal community have the exclusive rights to perform daily rituals of the deities. PNN