Puri: The chief administrator of the Srimandira, the famous Lord Jagannath temple in Puri of Odisha on Saturday suspended a Khuntia servitor for three months for delay in the rituals. The chief administrator conditionally pardoned two other servitors and gave a stern warning.
On February 28, the rituals of the temple was delayed for about four hours due to the indecent behavior and activities of some servants. As a result, the devotees faced difficulties and were deprived of receiving Mahaprasad at the specified time. There were also complaints that the officers and employees of the temple administration were treated disrespectfully during the incident.
In this incident, the Chief Administrator of the temple, Dr. Arabinda Padhi, sought an explanation from the Khuntia servitor Ramakrishna Khuntia and two other servants Madhav Khuntia (@Haati) and Madhusudan Khuntia * (@Shandhi) for the accused.
After hearing the replies of the servants concerned and the side of the administrative officers and employees, Ramakrishna Khuntia has been suspended for three months. During this period, he will not be able to participate in any service or worship of the temple. If during the suspension period he indulges in any act such as tempting or threatening any servitor or obstructing the service and worship of the temple, then the suspension period will be extended and strict disciplinary action will be taken by revoking the shaadibandha order, the Chief Administrator has clarified in his order.
Two other servants, Madhav Khuntia and Madhusudan Khuntia, were conditionally pardoned and warned that strict disciplinary action would be taken if such behavior is repeated in future. The Chief Administrator said that while the rituals of the temple are being performed smoothly with the timely cooperation and good coordination of most of the servitors, it is unfortunate that the rituals are being disrupted due to the disorderly behavior of some servitors. He clarified that any kind of disorder will not be tolerated in the temple.
