A Few God’s Men

Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) established by Shri Jagannath Temple Act, has over the years tried to streamline affairs of the temple to ensure a hassle-free experience for devotees. But the same SJTA has at times acted as a pawn of the state government.

An unprecedented controversy over rituals of the deities of Jagannath Temple, Puri, has gripped Odisha. Inordinate delay and departures from the normal, in the very auspicious ritual of Nabakalebara, occurring after 19 long years, where new idols replace the old ones, has angered devotees and opened a Pandora’s box involving priests (‘sevayats’) and the temple administration. The issue has hence taken a political hue where the BJD government, ministers of which are mired in the issue, has been cornered. Like any controversy, this also provides for an opportunity to bring greater transparency and accountability in how affairs of a widely followed temple are conducted.

Nabakalebara, literally meaning ‘new body’, is a unique ritual which occurs once in 12 to 19 years at Shree Mandir, Puri, one of the four revered ‘dhams’ of Hinduism. At a predefined time according to Hindu calendar, the idols of the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, made of neem wood, is replaced with a new one. However, the brahma-padartha (soul-substance) of the old idols are transferred in a secretive and guarded manner to the new one.

It is a matter of speculation, riddled with folklore, about what constitutes the soul-substance. A bone of Lord Krishna, a tooth of Buddha, remnants of the oldest idol are theories few experts dabble with. Inconspicuous manner of the ‘brahma’ transfer, by four ‘daitapati’s’ (category of priests), in the dead of the night amidst darkness, following procedures that is only known to those few and passed on to their generations, has been the standard since hundreds of years. However, on the night of 15th of June a major departure from the said procedure occurred. The ‘brahma paribartana’ (soul transfer) was delayed by more than ten hours and was subsequently conducted in the afternoon, the following day.

The cited reason for such a gross error, which has hurt the religious sentiments of tens of thousands of people, was a tiff among the servitors on that night. The tiff ensued on demand by a group of servitors who wanted to ‘touch’ the ‘brahma’ while others opposed it. The fact that the one making the demand happens to be the city’s youth BJD president, adds a political angle to the controversy. To the dismay of everyone, it is now claimed that the group that forced themselves into the clandestine ritual took pictures of the soul substance using their mobile phones.

Servitors

There are about 6,000 servitors in the Jagannath Temple who acquire their position hereditarily. There are about 119 categories of sevayats, few of whom are entitled a part of the offering made to the Gods and receive cash awards from the temple administration. One who visits Jagannath temple, Puri, will be witness to excesses of these servitors (known as ‘Pandas’) bordering on harassment. Their commission in the ‘bhog’ that one buys, money given to make ‘darshan’ convenient, and other alms given make them draw the hapless devotee by ugly means. The foul language used if one doesn’t give-in to their demands can make one squirm in shame. That many of them have criminal antecedents with many pending cases of extortion to murder against them speaks volumes about the servitors, often seen brandishing thick gold chains and the latest mobile phone. To be fair, however, it will be an injustice to paint everyone with the same brush.

Administration

Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) established by Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 (amended in 2004) which came into force from December 1960, oversees the management, administration and governance of the temple. With the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri as Chairman, it has an IAS officer, in the rank of RDC, as Chief administrator and other members comprising of various government nominees. SJTA has over the years tried to streamline affairs of the temple to ensure a hassle-free experience for devotees. But the same SJTA has at times acted as the pawn of the state government and as pointed in Swarajya few days back, had sold 500 acres to Vedanta. The role of SJTA has come into sharp focus in the issue, which has since taken action, suspended the BJD Youth President servitor and his father for causing the delay in ritual. SJTA’s hands, in this current crisis, is perceived to be tied by ministers of the government and the role of the law minister and minister in-charge of Nabakalebara have been criticized.

Politics

The beleaguered opposition comprising of BJP and Congress have taken this opportunity, and rightly so, to question the current dispensation about its handling of Nabakalebara, one of the biggest event of Odisha. While the Chief Minister has been mum, he has ordered four ministers to oversee affairs in Puri to ensure smooth conduct of Rath Yatra, due in about three weeks from now. The law minister has not provided satisfactory answers over his being seen uncomfortably close to the disgraced servitors. The ‘bandh’ call by Youth Congress on 27th June saw violence on streets and this will only have negative impact on the party which has effectively no organizational structure. The BJP has been attacking the government over the issue but has not created an uncomfortable position for Naveen Patnaik yet.

The growing clamor to free Hindu temples from government control will find few takers among the public at large in Odisha primarily because of the conduct and behavior of servitors of Puri temple, which is far from being dignified. In the current controversy regarding ‘soul-transfer’, the actions of these servitors has adversely affected the faith of millions who have great faith and belief in Lord Jagannath. For any step towards freedom from government control, establishing internal democracy with a governance structure that is transparent and accountable is essential. In the current form, such a proposition appears farfetched.

The SJTA should be commended for making the experience of a common devotee smoother over the past many years. Be it timely conduct of ritual, reduction in ‘poaching’ of devotees by servitors, facilitative temple infrastructure, SJTA has made welcome changes. However, the political influence and control on SJTA, curtailing of powers of Chief administrator, blackmailing by servitor members have adversely affected the functioning of the temple administration.

The current Nabakalebara controversy is being discussed from drawing rooms to boardrooms and across villages and towns. There is huge resentment regarding the state of affairs. A good controversy should never be wasted; it is a perfect opportunity to set certain things right. SJTA should be freed from clutches of its political bosses. The temple should be run by a governing council which abides by basic tenets of corporate governance. Servitors should be bound be a code of conduct and there should be role clarification for them. Strict action should be initiated against those with criminal records and a feedback system should be established to look after the conduct of these men of God. With the establishment of healthy and accountable internal democracy, greater autonomy could be given to servitor body. The ultimate aim, should obviously and naturally, be to ensure a great and genuine experience for devotees.

For the first Nabakalebara in the age of rampant satellite television (the last one was in 1996), with every moment brought to the drawing rooms, it began with great fanfare but has ended being a damp squib over a ritual that is revered by millions. It is perhaps for good that what used to happen behind closed doors has come to the fore.

Questions regarding veracity, need, the appropriateness of certain rituals are being asked which earlier were never conceived in Odia culture which has a kheera-neera (milk & water) relation with Jagannath sanskrit. The role of servitors and their conflicts, temple administration and its masters have come under focus and criticism. It is time few heads roll, it is time the powers that be spoke and clarifyied their position, it is time age-old rituals and customs shrouded in mystery be made public and it is time the devotion of a believer be valued and respected.