by Kapilas Bhuyan
The old-styled structures in Puri that speak for our rich heritage should have been remained untouched,says Kapilas Bhuyan.
The visit of the Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae Ranjit Kumar along with the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the first week of September was breathlessly awaited. During the visit Mr. Kumar had meetings with Govardhan Peetha Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, Chief Administrator Kishan Kumar of the Jagannath Temple Administration, Senior Govt. Officials and some stakeholders. He made a statement giving green signal to the demolition drive in Puri from what he gathered and understood of the situation.
He reiterated in his statement saying that the cleansing drive from 75 meter from the temple surrounding is lawful and this drive will enable to make Puri a Heritage City. This on one hand had encouraged the Puri district administration to push their eviction drive with renewed force, and on the other, silenced any voice of dissent. Dismissing the protests by the local residents and monks, Mr. Kumar said that the eviction drive was undertaken after thorough negotiation. The members of the local organization, Shrikhetra Surakhya Manch have expressed their displeasure saying that they were not given an opportunity to have a dialogue with the visiting officials.
When in a democracy people vote for leaders to form a govt., and the govt. is supposed to protect its culture, heritage and tradition. If in some situation the officials might err, they should always find out the proper path by having a discussion with all stakeholders and the experts in the field.
However, the demolition is on. While the plans to build a Heritage City by the administrators of the govt. by demolishing the heritage of the town has taken momentum, the opposing statements of Pinaki Mishra, MP, Puri and Jayant Sadhangi, MLA, Puri has rekindled the conflict in the current weekend. Mr. Mishra was of the opinion that the demolition drive is a correct step forward for the protection of the Shrijagannath Temple. He had made a statement that the demolished Mutts have rented their space only for shops to do business, while most locals are in support of the demolition, a few want to create conflicts and the state govt. is handling the reconstruction very carefully.
This statement itself has created a raucous, and Mr. Sadhangi has reacted saying that the govt. administration is in existence only over last 70 years whereas the Mutt traditions in Puri have been prevailing here over 200 years and more. In fact the govt. has the legitimacy of the drive with the compensation package. But then, what will compensate for the loss of heritage structures like Emar Mutt, Languli Mutt, Bada Akhada Mutt, Sana Chhata Mutt, Mangu Mutt, Punjabi Mutt, etc. those which have been existing over centuries. Besides, these monasteries are involved with providing the services for conducting religious rituals of Lord Jagannath Temple.
When in a democracy people vote for leaders to form a govt., and the govt. is supposed to protect its culture, heritage and tradition. If in some situation the officials might err, they should always find out the proper path by having a discussion with all stakeholders and the experts in the field. What the govt. has overlooked is that it has ignored this method. In fact, no one is opposing the demolition of the shops, but not to touch the old-styled structures that speaks for our rich heritage.
Can we imagine a Heritage City by destroying the heritage structures?
(The writer is a Senior Journalist and National Award Winning Filmmaker based in Bhubaneswar)