Puri: Amid uncertainty over this year’s Rath Yatra, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief Krishan Kumar along with Puri Collector Balwant Singh, Thursday, met Gobardhan Peeth Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati here.
The SJTA chief and the Collector held a closed door meeting with Shankaracharya. The meeting lasted for an hour, sources said.
“We met the Shankaracharya to enquire about his wellbeing amid the lockdown over coronavirus,” Kumar told to media persons soon after the meeting. The SJTA chief, however, parried queries on the annual Rath Yatra.
Gobardhan Peeth spokesperson Manoj Rath, however, said that the SJTA chief and the district Collector met the Shankaracharya to enquire about his health. Besides, the two officers held discussions on various issues with the seer, Rath added.
Sources, meanwhile, claimed that the SJTA chief and the Collector sought Shankaracharya’s advice on the organisation of Rath Yatra amid the coronavirus outbreak in state. “The Shankaracharya has given his views on the issue. The state government may announce something significant with regard to Rath Yatra soon,” said a source.
Notably, the SJTA had earlier announced that the Chandan Yatra of Srimandir deities would be commenced from April 26 at Narendra Pond here. However, no devotee would be allowed to witness the ritual. Besides, there would not be any grand procession during the 21-day Car Festival. On the other hand, the administration has initiated the process for construction of chariots for this year’s Rath Yatra, scheduled to be held June 23. The chariot construction is scheduled to begin on the occasion of Akhaya Trutiya April 26.
Senior Daita servitor Ramchandra Das Mahapatra, meanwhile, said that cancellation of Rath Yatra would bring miseries to the Holy City. “The annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is being organised as per His will. Till date, not a single coronavirus case has been reported from Puri city due to the blessings of Lord Jagannath. The city will face miseries if the annual Rath Yatra is cancelled by the state government,” Das Mahapatra said.