Bhubaneswar, Oct 30: The Lingaraj Temple, a revered shrine in the capital city of Odisha, has once again found itself at the center of controversy as rituals and worship have come to a halt due to an ongoing dispute between servitor groups. As a result, the temple’s deity, Lord Lingaraj, has not been offered prasad or worshiped, causing distress among thousands of devotees.

The dispute, which centers on matters of authority and tradition, has been simmering for nearly five years. Despite the temple’s significance and the holy month of Kartik, both the temple administration and the servitors have failed to reach a resolution, leading to widespread condemnation from the temple's devotees.

The servitors on duty closed the temple after the Surya Puja and Dwarpal Puja, halting all subsequent rituals. Consequently, Lord Lingaraj has not received any offerings, and devotees have been denied prasad. Many are criticizing the temple officials for their failure to intervene and resolve the dispute.

This is not the first time such a disruption has occurred at the Lingaraj Temple. In the past, critical rituals such as the Shiva Pabitraropana and Raksha Bandhan ceremonies were also interrupted due to similar disputes between servitor groups. Devotees are now calling on the authorities to step in and resolve the issue, ensuring the smooth continuation of rituals and worship at the temple.