Baripada: Shortage of wood has emerged as a stumbling block to construction of chariots for the deities of Baripada’s Sri Sri Haribaldevjew temple, also known as the ‘Dwitiya Shrikhetra’ of Odisha.
A delegation of carpenters and the Rath Mohapatra took up the issue with the district administration.
The carpenter servitors submitted a memorandum to the district Collector recently seeking immediate solution to problem of wood crunch.
The carpenters also stated that they would move the High Court if the issue is not resolved immediately.
According to the Rath Mohapatra, the district administration is usually intimated about the need for making wood arrangements 45 days before construction of chariots every year.
“Timbers are yet to come from forests. Now, a kind of uncertainty has come up over chariot making. Logs used for chariot making are usually dismantled after Rath Yatra and are stored in a godown for their reuse next year. However, the administration demolished the old godown for construction of a new one. As a result, wood kept under polythene sheets for the last six months have become unfit for reuse,” he explained.
In 2016, several issues cropped up in metalling around chariot wheels. There was need for fresh metalling of wheels.
Chief Rath Maharana Rabindra Maharana said though the district administration had been informed about this problem, no step was taken in this direction.
Another problem which has remained unresolved is that Rath Barchhias, a section of carpenters engaged in chariot-making, have been demanding status of servitors. As the administration has not taken any decision on their status, they are reluctant to undertake the chariot work.
Moreover, some carpenters (Rath Maharanas) are unhappy as lands given to them as ‘jagir’ along Subarnarekha canal have been encroached upon. They had urged the administration to remove encroachments, but precious little has been done so far, they alleged.