Bhubaneswar: With a few days left for the annual Rath Yatra in Puri, pressure is mounting on the state government from several quarters to conduct the mega festival in adherence to lockdown norms.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee led by Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb has already appealed to the state government to organise the car festival without devotees.
Renowned sculptor and Rajya Sabha member Raghunath Mohapatra Saturday said it would not feel good, if the tradition and rituals are disturbed. “The Car Festival can be conducted without devotees. The government should seal the Puri town and conduct the festival involving limited number of police personnel and servitors,” Mohapatra said.
Temple managing committee member Madhab Charan Mohapatra said the government can conduct ‘Pahandi’ ritual early morning June 23 and complete the pulling of chariots before evening. The Rath Yatra can be organized without involving devotees, he opined.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administrator (Ritual) Jitendra Sahu said, “At present, we are ensuring the kind of preparedness needed for conduct of the festival. We are waiting for the government’s approval.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan asked the government to make its stand clear on conduct of Rath Yatra. “Neither the state government nor the law minister is making any statement on the festival. They should clear the stand,” he said.
BJD leader Sashibhusan Behera said the state government is making all arrangements for the purpose. “The government has never said that Rath Yatra should not be held this year. Preparations are under way. If the Covid-19 situation does not worsen at the last moment, some alternative method may be adopted to conduct the fest,” Behera said.