Puri, Aug 4: The Pushpalak Nijog of the Shree Jagannath Temple has urged the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to ensure that Mangala Alati and other early morning rituals of Lord Jagannath are conducted strictly according to the temple's scriptures, Record of Rights (RoR), and traditional practices.

In a written representation submitted through the Ritual Administrator to the Chief Administrator of SJTA, the Pushpalak Nijog expressed concern over delays in the temple's morning rituals. The servitors stated that, as per religious scriptures, the Lord's Abakash Niti (morning cleansing ritual) should be completed before sunrise, as leaving the previous day's flowers and garments on the deities beyond that time is considered inappropriate and causes discomfort to the deities.

The Nijog cited references from the Niladri Mahodaya, the temple's Record of Rights (Swattalipi) and the Madala Panji, stating that Mangala Alati should begin at 5 a.m. or earlier, with Abakash Puja completed by 6:30 a.m. It also referred to Supreme Court observations that the Jaya-Vijaya Gate should be opened at around 4:30 a.m. before the commencement of Mangala Alati.

The servitors expressed disappointment that despite measures such as restricting Sahanamela and Paramanik Darshan to improve ritual discipline, the prescribed timings of the temple rituals have still not been restored. They stressed that, except on special occasions such as Anasara or solar eclipse days, Mangala Alati should ordinarily be completed by 5:30 a.m., with every effort made to perform the Abakash ritual before sunrise.

The representation also referred to the Madala Panji, which prescribes that the temple doors should be opened 96 minutes (four 'Khuri') before sunrise, allowing sufficient time for the sequence of morning rituals. The Pushpalak Nijog requested the temple administration to advise all concerned servitors to strictly follow the scriptural schedule and preserve the sanctity of the centuries-old ritual traditions.

The appeal comes amid continuing concerns over the early closure of the deities' nightly rituals and the repeated delay in opening the temple doors in the morning, an issue that has drawn criticism from servitors and devotees alike.