Servitor questioned over 'use' of Puri Jagannath temple sacred wood to make idols in Digha shrine

THE Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) of Puri on Sunday questioned a senior servitor over the alleged use of surplus sacred wood of the 12th century shrine in crafting idols in a temple at Digha in neighbouring West Bengal, officials said.

- PBD BUREAU/PTI

The servitor, 'Daitapati Nijog’ secretary Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, attended and supervised the consecration ceremony at the Digha temple in presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30.

'Daitapati Nijog’ is a group of servitors considered body guards of Lord Jagannath. Apart from Mohapatra, around 56 other servitors from the Puri temple had reportedly attended the event at the Digha temple.

Amid a row over the West Bengal government's portrayal of the Digha temple as ‘Jagannath Dham' and alleged use of Puri shrine's surplus wood in the construction of idols there, Odisha’s Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on May 2 asked the SJTA to inquire into the matter.

SJTA chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee summoned Dasmohapatra and questioned him for about 90 minutes. The administration wanted to know whether he, as the secretary of ‘Daitapati Nojog', had taken sacred wood from the Puri temple and used it in making the idols for the Digha temple, officials said.

Tt is alleged that some Puri servitors used leftover ‘neem’ wood from the 2015 ‘Nabakalebara’ (new form) ritual to make the idols for the shrine in Digha.