The Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nishchalanda Saraswati, stayed away on Sunday from the famous procession of chariots known as the Rath Yatra, the annual event that this year attracted ten lakh visitors. The Rath Yatra is Odisha’s largest and most important religious gathering. The Shankaracharya traditionally plays an integral role in some of the rituals associated with it, especially before the procession starts off. His failure to attend is the culminating chapter in a sordid story that dates back to last year’s gathering.
“The state government has dared to dictate terms to the Shankaracharya of Puri,“ Saraswati told reporters at the Govardhan Peeth in Puri on Saturday. “I will not visit the chariots before they are pulled for Rath Yatra.”
The Rath Yatra features three chariots bearing idols of the presiding deities of the 12th century shrine of Sri Jagannath: Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The three idols are taken from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, where they are kept year round, and borne on elaborately decorated chariots to the Gundicha temple nearby, where they are kept for nine days. The festival is known for the heaving crowds that line up along the route to pay their respects to the gods. It is considered extremely auspicious to catch a glimpse of Lord Jagannath on the chariot, and many believe that touching the chariot or even the ropes that pull it along will absolve you of sin.
Over time it had become tradition for devotees to climb upon the chariot by turn and touch the deity of Lord Jagannath. Yet, after last year’s gathering, it was this aspect of the religious celebration that suddenly exploded into a controversy that eventually came to involve the Orissa High Court and the state government, and pitted Puri’s highest religious authorities against one another.
There are a group of religious functionaries, known as daitapatis, assigned specifically to the rituals that take place on the chariots during the Rath Yatra. In the past few years there have been skirmishes between some daitapatis and policemen guarding the procession, due to the practice of daitapatis allowing devotees to climb on board the chariots, usually in exchange for large sums of money. This matter reached national attention last year when the Italian Odissi dancer, Ileana Citarista, a Padma Shree and resident of Bhubhaneshwar, alleged that she was assaulted by two daitapatis atop Lord Jagannath’s chariot. Citarista claims she was beaten up after she refused to pay the Rs 1000 being demanded. Though this case was widely reported, there are similar allegations made against the sevaks every year. A lot of the industry of Puri is based around the tourism it receives for the Rath Yatra, and a chain of linked businesses can be established, starting with agents deputed by daitapatis, tour operators, hoteliers, local facilitators and finally the daithapatis on chariot duty. Informed estimates hold that up to Rs 3-5 crore of unaccounted money is exchanged on the chariots alone.
This is one of the reasons why the act of climbing the chariot has become a crucial part of the celebration. Yet, after last year’s adverse publicity and a number of quiet entreaties sent by the state government in the interests of public safety, the head of the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration, Gajapati Maharaj, decided to consult the Shankaracharya of Puri about this matter. The Shankaracharya, who is considered one of the leading holy men in Hinduism, consulted a scriptural doctrine known as the Record of Rights and pronounced in November last year that only the daitapatis, Gajapati Maharaj and the Shankaracharya – referring to himself – were authorised to board the chariots on the three holy days at the start of the festival.
The daitapatis are one of around 250 categories of sevayats, or servitors – the term used for the people who perform the ritual services at the Jagannath temple. Sevayats acquire their position hereditarily. The SJTA was apprehensive about the reaction the sevayats would have about this denial of a steady source of income. Its Managing Committee wrote in a letter to the Court dated Nov 11, 2013:
“Bringing consensus from the Sevayat community will also be a daunting challenge before the SJTA as few Sevayat groups namely, Daitapati Nijog has openly opposed the move. We in the SJTA are ready to whatever best is possible to ensure a smooth Chariot Festival with maintenance of law & order.”
Yet, the matter rested here until June 11 of this year, when the state government held a meeting which reportedly tried to ensure that there would be no boarding of chariots at all this year. Two PILs were quickly filed in the High Court, one reportedly on behalf of the Daitapati Nijog, which also sought for an overturn of the Shankaracharya’s decision. Yet, the Court upheld it.
This was when some members of the sevayats managed to extract a measure of retribution on the party they felt had denied them their income. The Shankaracharya’s pronouncement regarding the chariots extended to himself, Gajapati Maharaj and the daitapatis. Crucially, it did not mention the Shankaracharya’s disciples.
A letter was then sent to the Shankaracharya by the SJTA informing him that his disciples would not be allowed to board the chariot. This was when the holy man decided to eschew his many duties at the festival and stay away. It is unclear whether the state government also played a hand in this, but the Shankaracharya thinks so.
“This administration, who cannot provide justice to Lord Jagannath, how can it provide justice to me?” Sankaracharya said. “I want justice.”
The raja of Puri, Divyasingha Deb, today said the Odisha government must take steps to resolve the issue. “Both the state government and the SJTA should make efforts to ensure the traditional role of the seer is kept intact,” Deb said.
“The Sankaracharya had himself decided to take only two of his disciples this year, yet the administration insisted that he go alone,” he said. “The seer used to be accompanied by seven persons in the past.”
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
“The state government has dared to dictate terms to the Shankaracharya of Puri,“ Saraswati told reporters at the Govardhan Peeth in Puri on Saturday. “I will not visit the chariots before they are pulled for Rath Yatra.”
The Rath Yatra features three chariots bearing idols of the presiding deities of the 12th century shrine of Sri Jagannath: Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The three idols are taken from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, where they are kept year round, and borne on elaborately decorated chariots to the Gundicha temple nearby, where they are kept for nine days. The festival is known for the heaving crowds that line up along the route to pay their respects to the gods. It is considered extremely auspicious to catch a glimpse of Lord Jagannath on the chariot, and many believe that touching the chariot or even the ropes that pull it along will absolve you of sin.
Over time it had become tradition for devotees to climb upon the chariot by turn and touch the deity of Lord Jagannath. Yet, after last year’s gathering, it was this aspect of the religious celebration that suddenly exploded into a controversy that eventually came to involve the Orissa High Court and the state government, and pitted Puri’s highest religious authorities against one another.
There are a group of religious functionaries, known as daitapatis, assigned specifically to the rituals that take place on the chariots during the Rath Yatra. In the past few years there have been skirmishes between some daitapatis and policemen guarding the procession, due to the practice of daitapatis allowing devotees to climb on board the chariots, usually in exchange for large sums of money. This matter reached national attention last year when the Italian Odissi dancer, Ileana Citarista, a Padma Shree and resident of Bhubhaneshwar, alleged that she was assaulted by two daitapatis atop Lord Jagannath’s chariot. Citarista claims she was beaten up after she refused to pay the Rs 1000 being demanded. Though this case was widely reported, there are similar allegations made against the sevaks every year. A lot of the industry of Puri is based around the tourism it receives for the Rath Yatra, and a chain of linked businesses can be established, starting with agents deputed by daitapatis, tour operators, hoteliers, local facilitators and finally the daithapatis on chariot duty. Informed estimates hold that up to Rs 3-5 crore of unaccounted money is exchanged on the chariots alone.
This is one of the reasons why the act of climbing the chariot has become a crucial part of the celebration. Yet, after last year’s adverse publicity and a number of quiet entreaties sent by the state government in the interests of public safety, the head of the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration, Gajapati Maharaj, decided to consult the Shankaracharya of Puri about this matter. The Shankaracharya, who is considered one of the leading holy men in Hinduism, consulted a scriptural doctrine known as the Record of Rights and pronounced in November last year that only the daitapatis, Gajapati Maharaj and the Shankaracharya – referring to himself – were authorised to board the chariots on the three holy days at the start of the festival.
The daitapatis are one of around 250 categories of sevayats, or servitors – the term used for the people who perform the ritual services at the Jagannath temple. Sevayats acquire their position hereditarily. The SJTA was apprehensive about the reaction the sevayats would have about this denial of a steady source of income. Its Managing Committee wrote in a letter to the Court dated Nov 11, 2013:
“Bringing consensus from the Sevayat community will also be a daunting challenge before the SJTA as few Sevayat groups namely, Daitapati Nijog has openly opposed the move. We in the SJTA are ready to whatever best is possible to ensure a smooth Chariot Festival with maintenance of law & order.”
Yet, the matter rested here until June 11 of this year, when the state government held a meeting which reportedly tried to ensure that there would be no boarding of chariots at all this year. Two PILs were quickly filed in the High Court, one reportedly on behalf of the Daitapati Nijog, which also sought for an overturn of the Shankaracharya’s decision. Yet, the Court upheld it.
This was when some members of the sevayats managed to extract a measure of retribution on the party they felt had denied them their income. The Shankaracharya’s pronouncement regarding the chariots extended to himself, Gajapati Maharaj and the daitapatis. Crucially, it did not mention the Shankaracharya’s disciples.
A letter was then sent to the Shankaracharya by the SJTA informing him that his disciples would not be allowed to board the chariot. This was when the holy man decided to eschew his many duties at the festival and stay away. It is unclear whether the state government also played a hand in this, but the Shankaracharya thinks so.
“This administration, who cannot provide justice to Lord Jagannath, how can it provide justice to me?” Sankaracharya said. “I want justice.”
The raja of Puri, Divyasingha Deb, today said the Odisha government must take steps to resolve the issue. “Both the state government and the SJTA should make efforts to ensure the traditional role of the seer is kept intact,” Deb said.
“The Sankaracharya had himself decided to take only two of his disciples this year, yet the administration insisted that he go alone,” he said. “The seer used to be accompanied by seven persons in the past.”