OdishaPlus Bureau
Uncertainty shrouds the World Famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Puri. State puts the ball in Center’s court
Will the world witness the globally famous spectacle of Puri Rath Yatra in 2020? This is the burning question asked by many people in India as well as outside. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has a precarious situation ahead of him. With the health and wellness of the people of Odisha during COVID times in one side juxtaposed against the faith of more than 4.5 crore Odias on the other side. Unable to take sides, the state government has asked the centre to rule over the construction of chariots for the Rath Yatra. This has led to PM Narendra Modi being the centre of attraction over this important matter concerning an event of the global scale.
State throws the ball in the Center’s court
Lord Jagannath of Puri is the principal deity of 4.5 crore Odias and a way of life for them. The Rath Yatra is not only a matter of pride for Odisha but also for the millions of devotees who cross oceans and continents to have a glimpse of this annual spectre played out on a grand canvas at the beach town of Puri, Odisha. People from all over the world flock to see Lord Jagannath leave their abode on the Ratna Bedi and take his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra on a 9-day trip to their aunt’s place at Sri Gundicha temple nearby.
The coronavirus has affected each and every part of the world and organizing a mass extravaganza like Rath Yatra seems like a far cry as of today. Owing to the COVID situation and the lockdown guidelines of the government, the wood for chariot construction has not been kept at its usual place at the grand road of Puri, near the Jagannath temple. The wood has been kept inside the temple premises after the advice of Puri Shankaracharya. The organizing committee was waiting for the fresh guidelines of the government in the meantime.
After fresh guidelines of the Centre as well as the State government were notified, the organizing committee held a meeting on this regard. The committee had asked permission for construction of the chariots from the state government. But the state government debated undertaking the possible activities under lockdown conditions.
The state government is still reeling in a dilemma of coronavirus situation in one side with the faith of 4.5 crore Odias associated with Lord Jagannath on the other side. If the permission for chariot construction is given, it would hamper the lockdown guidelines. If however, the chariot construction is not initiated, the Naveen Patnaik dispensation would break years old tradition which would be a first in itself and may earn bad PR too. Hence, the state government has turned to the center to make the crucial call on the matter. Since the ball is now in the center’s court, all eyes are obviously stuck on the center’s decision whether to give the green light for starting construction of the chariots or not.
‘The decision of organizing the Rath Yatra rests with the state government. The state government may seek the advice of the Center after making their own decision. The state government is holding daily video conferencing with the central government. Why didn’t they discuss this matter beforehand with the center?” asked senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra.
What will the Central Government Decide?
On the one hand, there is fear of the coronavirus, and on the other is the significance of Rath Yatra of the Lord. In such a scenario, the central government is said to be able to make informed decisions. Construction of chariots is a sensitive topic in this situation hence speculations are rife that the center might pass the decision onto the state government. It is Chances are wide that things will fall into disarray if the central government throws a retaliatory ball back at the state. Meanwhile the Sevayats have accused that both the center and the state are playing politics on the issue of the Rath Yatra.
No Time for Decision Making as Days Pass By
The date for Rath yatra is fast approaching. June 5 marks the Devasnana Purnima which is the date for the Snana Yatra of the holy trinity. From this date onwards, the process for the Rath Yatra begins. However, the construction of the chariots has not yet begun and people are confused as to whether the government will allow it. Delays in decision-making by seeking permission from the central government are not helping the state government’s cause. It is unknown at this time whether center will give the nod for constructing the chariots and whether the work would finish before the day of Rath Yatra arrives.
According to tradition, Akshay Tritiya is the date fixed for the construction work to begin. However, it’s been a week past Akshay Tritiya yet there is no sign of construction activity starting anytime soon. Yesterday was Narasimha Chaturdashi. It’s a good time to start building chariots. However, on a date like that, the state government has sought the permission of the Center. Everyone is waiting to see what the Center will answer about this. If the central government does not respond today or tomorrow, the construction of the chariot will be delayed.
It is customary for the chariot wheels to be constructed on the Bhaunri Tithi. Similarly, on the day of Netrotsava, there is a tradition of moving the three chariots in front of the Singhadwar of the Shree Jagannath Temple. However, the preparation seems uncertain as the government cannot take any decision on the construction of the chariot. Nandighosh Rath chief Maharana Bijay Mohapatra said that there are a few things that have to happen on certain fixed days, but this will not be possible if the government delays in granting permission to start construction of the chariots.
State Government Clueless?
The government is in an impasse as how to organise the Rath Yatra owing ot the coronavirus situation in the state. The government is seemingly worried about how the social distance can be maintained if the Rath Yatra is observed in the state.
The shrine has been closed to the public for about a month and a half because social distance cannot be maintained. Similarly, the administration has decided to put the wood for chariot construction inside the temple premises as well as announced that the Chandan Yatra will also take place in the vicinity of the temple. The Rath Yatra rituals need more number of Sevayats to be present on the chariots which is a direct violation of social distancing norms. It is being said that the state government does not want to bear sole responsibility of any untoward happening and hence has passed on the risk to the center by seeking permission to organise the Rath Yatra from the centre itself.
The Lord comes in a Pahandi from the temple to the chariot. For this, more than 100 Sevayats are available at the lord’s service during Pahandi Bije. The same goes for other rituals. How will all these rituals be carried out smoothly amid the coronavirus crisis is the vital question plaguing the Odisha government as of now. All these questions have put the state government in a quandary, is what everyone is convinced about now.