Bhubaneswar, Sept 18: Rituals at the historic Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar were reportedly disrupted on the auspicious occasion of Kanya Sankranti, observed as the New Year ritual day of Lord Lingaraj. While the temple rituals proceeded smoothly throughout the day, a dispute between two groups of servitors reportedly delayed the final rituals of the day.
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The disagreement arose during the time for the Bada Singhar ritual and the subsequent ceremonial procession of Shayana Thakura, also known as Panchabaktra, who is traditionally taken for the Lord’s night-time resting ritual.
According to reports, an argument broke out between servitors belonging to the Puja Panda and Brahmana Niyoga groups over service rights. The disagreement reportedly continued for a considerable period, with both sides engaged in discussions over their respective service entitlements. However, no immediate resolution was reached.
Temple Rituals Delayed
The temple’s Executive Officer and Additional District Magistrate, Ramesh Chandra Jena, reportedly contacted representatives of both groups and attempted to resolve the dispute. However, the two sides allegedly did not reach an agreement.
As a result, the ritual disruption reportedly continued, with the scheduled Pahuda (night-time resting ritual) not taking place for an extended period. Consequently, the temple remained open instead of being closed for the night.
Devotees Express Disappointment
The incident reportedly left some devotees disappointed, with several expressing strong criticism over the disruption of rituals on an important religious occasion.
Devotees said that such a dispute on the day associated with Lord Lingaraj’s New Year observance was inappropriate. They also expressed concern that disagreements over service rights should not affect the timely performance of the deity’s rituals.
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Some devotees further alleged that ritual disruptions tend to occur particularly on important religious occasions and described such incidents as unacceptable. They questioned whether disputes over service rights should result in delays to the deity’s scheduled rituals.
The episode has once again brought attention to the importance of ensuring that traditional temple rituals are conducted smoothly, particularly on significant religious occasions such as Kanya Sankranti.
