Puri: Devotees remain apprehensive whether Rath Yatra, the annual nine-day-long sojourn of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, will be held or not, owing to the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the state.
As the Central government and the High Court have left it for the state government to take the decision regarding the festival, the government is meanwhile treading a thin line between holding the festival and fighting the coronavirus. Finding itself in a quandary, the government is holding discussions in this regard.
Several PILs have been filed at the Supreme Court as well as High Court, requesting cancellation of Rath Yatra. Hearing of one such petition filed in Supreme Court is scheduled for Monday.
Hearing a similar petition, the High Court recently directed the state government to take a decision to either engage elephants or machines to pull the three chariots.
But the Suddhasuar Nijog has opposed the proposal of using machines to pull chariots.
In a press meet held here Sunday, Nijog, secretary, Premanand Dasmohapatra said there are 170 servitors including daitapatis and suddhasuars. Close to 30 servitors aged between 18 and 60 years will be atop the chariots. And the rest of the servitors will pull the chariots. We have already handed out the list to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
Regarding chariot pulling by elephants, he said, “There are instances of elephants being used to pull the chariots. It was when any of the chariots would get stuck in sand; elephants were used to get it out. So using elephants to pull chariots is no issue at all. But machines should not be used at any cost. If policemen and servitors pull the chariots, there will also be no need of employing elephants.”
At the same time, demands for holding the festival without devotees are pouring in from different sections. The Shree Jagannath Temple Management Committee has also given a proposal to the state government to hold the festival amid restrictions. Servitors are also in favour of observing the Rath Yatra following all the restrictions. The servitors are also holding discussions with the SJTA.
It is learnt that the SJTA has already drafted a list of the timings of the rituals associated with the car festival.
It is heard that section 144 will be clamped in the city, if Rath Yatra is held. All the roads connecting to the holy city will be sealed off. Similarly all the lanes and by lanes connecting to the Grand Road will be blocked. None from the outside will be allowed onto the Grand Road. Even, local people will not be allowed. The festival will be observed with participation of some government and police officials and servitors.
Historian Surendra Mishra said the government has to take a decision keeping the pandemic situation in mind. Apart from showing respect to the sentiments of lakhs of devotees, it is also the responsibility of a government to protect its people. So, instead of creating any controversy, all should welcome whatever decision the government takes.
Dillip Baral, a city resident, said devotees have been away from their lord for as long as three months. I am in favour of not allowing outsiders to take part in the festival. But the government shouldn’t debar local people from taking part in the yatra.
Notably, the chariot construction work is at its last stage here.
PNN