Puri, Aug 7: Large idols of Lord Jagannath and the other deities were found lying abandoned on the beach near Victoria Hotel in Puri on Thursday, sparking concern among intellectuals and cultural experts.

According to eyewitnesses, an individual reportedly arrived at the beach on Wednesday night and immersed the idols in the sea. The idols, carried back to the shore by the waves, were found on the beach on Thursday morning. Local fishermen reportedly placed them on a small concrete platform before leaving the spot, leaving the idols exposed under the open sky.

Cultural researcher Dr. Badri Mishra expressed concern over the practice, stating that there is no prescribed ritual for immersing worshipped idols of the Holy Trinity in the sea. He said the increasing practice of immersing such idols in the Puri sea should be stopped.

According to Dr. Mishra, under specific religious circumstances, the deities may be ritually placed in a sacred underground resting place (Patalis) during Nabakalebara or the Anasara period, but they should not be immersed in rivers, ponds or the sea.

He further suggested that if devotees are unable to continue worshipping such idols, they may hand them over to a nearby temple. Alternatively, the idols should be respectfully placed at an appropriate sacred location in accordance with prescribed rituals.