Jagannath temples in state to follow Puri protocol

BHUBANESWAR: A day after the Centre approved the state government’s proposal to start building the chariots for the Puri Rath Yatra — scheduled for June 23 — other prominent Jagannath temples in the state, too, have decided to commence the construction work.
However, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) temple in Bhubaneswar is yet to take a call on whether to start the work.
“We will follow the decision taken for Puri and accordingly start the chariot work in Keonjhar. The sub-collector of Keonjhar, who heads the Baladevjew temple, will follow the protocol of the Puri temple,” Keonjhar district collector Ashish Thakare said. The chariot in Keonjhar is 72ft high and is considered the tallest in the state.
The chariot work at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district is scheduled to start on Saturday. Revered as Dwitiya Shreekhetra, the Rath Yatra of the Haribaldev Jew temple there is unique for its pulling of Devi Subhadra’s chariot by women alone.
“We had consecrated the logs on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on April 26. We were in two minds about the work. After the Centre’s nod for Puri, we have decided to begin building the chariots from Saturday. The carpenters have already been communicated to join the work,” Basant Kumar Sethi, sub-collector of Baripada and executive officer of the temple, said.
The authorities of the Baladevjew temple in Kendrapada and the Jagannath temple in Koraput, regarded as Tulasi Khetra and Sabar Srikhetra, respectively, are also expected to start the work within a day or two, an official source said.
The state government has asked the district administrations to enforce social distancing norms and other Covid-related precautions at the chariot construction sites.
This apart, the government has said the administrations would have to immediately stop the chariot work in their jurisdictions if cancels the Rath Yatra in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Though the Rath Yatra of the Iskcon temple in Bhubaneswar is an annual show-stealer, the authorities are yet to take a call on the chariot work. “Our senior functionaries will discuss the issue and soon take a decision,” Radhakanta Das, the temple’s spokesperson in Bhubaneswar, said.