Latest news with #Gajapati
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Teacher, with alleged Maoist links, held during Operation Garuda in Gajapati
BERHAMPUR: A teacher, who had Maoist links and was booked once, was among four fugitives Gajapati police arrested as part of its drive under 'Operation Garuda' over the past two days. Adava police arrested Pratap Kumar Nayak, a primary school teacher, for his alleged links with Maoists on Tuesday. Nayak has been working at Nuakhajuripada government primary school in Adava and was earlier booked in 2011 for alleged involvement with a Maoist organisation and participation in violent incidents across various locations. Gajapati SP Jatindra Kumar Panda said several other teachers in Adava, Mohana and R Udayagiri face similar allegations of Maoist links and illegal ganja trafficking and have been asked to surrender. Police have also sent letters to the block education officer regarding the matter. 'If they fail to surrender, they will be arrested wherever they are', said the SP. However, Mohana block education officer Narendra Behera said so far his office has not received any such letter from the police. 'If any letter arrives naming a teacher, appropriate action will be taken as per government regulations,' he added. In a separate case, Adava police arrested three brothers- Soho Sobhasundar (58), Alix Sobhasundar (60) and Tej Sobhasundar (62) of Aliganda village in connection with a 2006 family quarrel case on Thursday. The three were produced in court on the day.
Hans India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Puri Gajapati backs reforms in Jagannath temple
Bhubaneswar: Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb on Thursday said he supports reforms in the 800-year-old Shree Jagannath temple to preserve its heritage while adapting to changing times, but remained uncertain about allowing non-Hindus into the 12th-century shrine. Deb, who has served as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath for over five decades, said, 'There is always scope for improvement and reforms. This is because the temple was built more than 800 years ago. The rituals, festivals and various arrangements were developed over centuries.' Deb said the world and society has changed a lot over the last 800 years. 'But the system in Shree Jagannath temple has largely remained unchanged. The heritage should continue, but certain adjustments may be made in view of the changed situations,' he said. Citing an example, the Gajapati pointed to the increasing number of pilgrims visiting Puri. 'The Mahaprasad Seva facility, for instance, is falling short. Ensuring a smooth 'darshan' experience for so many devotees is certainly a challenge. Even on normal days, the crowd now resembles that of festive days from earlier years,' he said, urging the State government and temple administration to address these issues. Commenting on an issue raised by 'Samajika Naya Abhijan, an organisation fighting for social justice, about the tradition of people carrying the Gajapati's palanquin on their shoulders during Rath Yatra, Deb said that the mater had come to his notice. 'Yes, the matter has come to my notice. The Gajapati uses a 'tamjan' to go to chariots to perform 'chhera pahanra' ritual. This is a tradition that has continued for hundreds of years. Any change in a religious tradition must follow the prescribed procedure. The Gajapati is following that process. The 'tamjan' is used during various yatras because of tradition. It's not a personal choice but a religious obligation,' he said. Asked whether he personally would prefer not to be carried on shoulders, Deb said: 'If a change in tradition is brought about, it must follow due process. The temple managing committee, the servitors, the pundits of the Mukti Mandap, and above all, the Shankaracharya must be consulted. If a change is made, I would be happy to accept it. But any alteration in existing traditions must come from religious authorities and those responsible for upholding them.' On the sign at the Lion Gate of the Puri temple reading 'Only Hindus Are Allowed,' the Gajapati said this practice is over 500 years old. 'If there is to be any change, it must go through proper procedures. This is a religious tradition. Any modification can only be made through consultation and a final decision by religious authorities—such as the Shankaracharya, scholars of the Mukti Mandap Sabha and other stakeholders,' he said. He also acknowledged that there is a secular dimension to the issue, which the government must consider. 'Shree Jagannath temple has been a target for terrorist threats for decades. Given the global situation and specific geopolitical tensions—particularly with Pakistan—the government must seriously evaluate whether it can ensure the temple's security, which is its primary responsibility, if non-Hindus are to be allowed entry,' he said. Deb said it is ultimately up to the government to make the call. 'To allow people of all religions to participate, the Rath Yatra is held every year,' he explained. A foreign-educated law graduate who gave up his legal career in Delhi to serve as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, Deb said he has no interest in politics. 'From day one, I have refused to enter politics, even though my father and uncle were in politics in Odisha. Political parties have stopped approaching me for decades, and I believe my decision was the right one,' he said. On the recent stampede during the Puri Rath Yatra, in which three persons died and many were injured, the Gajapati said an inquiry is underway. 'The number of devotees from Odisha and across India was far beyond expectations. I an sure the government will look at ways to improve infrastructure and amenities for devotees. It will identify the reasons behind the incident and recommend steps to prevent such occurrences in the future,' he said. Deb emphasised the spiritual value of the festival. 'Lakhs of devotees witnessed the festival from start to finish. I am sure they had a momentous, memorable and spiritual experience. While the delay in chariot pulling or the stampede was unfortunate and concerning, it did not detract from the devotional spirit of the event,' he said.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Puri's titular king backs Jagannath Temple reforms, uncertain about opening shrine to non-Hindus
Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb on Thursday said he supports reforms in the 800-year-old Shree Jagannath Temple to preserve its heritage while adapting to changing times, but remained uncertain about allowing non-Hindus into the 12th-century shrine. In an interview with PTI, Deb, who has served as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath for over five decades, said, "There is always scope for improvement and reforms. This is because the temple was built more than 800 years ago. The rituals, festivals, and various arrangements were developed over centuries." Deb said the world and society has changed a lot over the last 800 years. "But the system in Shree Jagannath Temple has largely remained unchanged. The heritage should continue, but certain adjustments may be made in view of the changed situations," he said. Citing an example, the Gajapati pointed to the increasing number of pilgrims visiting Puri. Live Events "The Mahaprasad Seva facility, for instance, is falling short. Ensuring a smooth 'darshan' experience for so many devotees is certainly a challenge. Even on normal days, the crowd now resembles that of festive days from earlier years," he said, urging the state government and temple administration to address these issues. Commenting on an issue raised by 'Samajika Naya Abhijan, an organisation fighting for social justice, about the tradition of people carrying the Gajapati's palanquin on their shoulders during Rath Yatra, Deb said that the mater had come to his notice. "Yes the matter has come to my notice. The Gajapati uses a 'tamjan' to go to chariots to perform 'chhera pahanra' ritual. This is a tradition that has continued for hundreds of years. Any change in a religious tradition must follow the prescribed procedure. The Gajapati is following that process. The 'tamjan' is used during various yatras because of tradition. It's not a personal choice but a religious obligation," he said. Asked whether he personally would prefer not to be carried on shoulders, Deb said: "If a change in tradition is brought about, it must follow due process. The temple managing committee, the servitors, the pundits of the Mukti Mandap, and above all, the Shankaracharya must be consulted. If a change is made, I would be happy to accept it. But any alteration in existing traditions must come from religious authorities and those responsible for upholding them." On the sign at the Lion Gate of the Puri Temple reading 'Only Hindus Are Allowed,' the Gajapati said this practice is over 500 years old. "If there is to be any change, it must go through proper procedures. This is a religious tradition. Any modification can only be made through consultation and a final decision by religious authorities-such as the Shankaracharya, scholars of the Mukti Mandap Sabha, and other stakeholders," he said. He also acknowledged that there is a secular dimension to the issue, which the government must consider. "Shree Jagannath Temple has been a target for terrorist threats for decades. Given the global situation and specific geopolitical tensions-particularly with Pakistan-the government must seriously evaluate whether it can ensure the temple's security, which is its primary responsibility, if non-Hindus are to be allowed entry," he said. Deb added that it is ultimately up to the government to make the call. "To allow people of all religions to participate, the Rath Yatra is held every year," he explained. A foreign-educated law graduate who gave up his legal career in Delhi to serve as the first servitor of Lord Jagannath, Deb said he has no interest in politics. "From day one, I have refused to enter politics, even though my father and uncle were in politics in Odisha. Political parties have stopped approaching me for decades, and I believe my decision was the right one," he said. On the recent stampede during the Puri Rath Yatra, in which three people died and many were injured, the Gajapati said an inquiry is underway. "The number of devotees from Odisha and across India was far beyond expectations. I'm sure the government will look at ways to improve infrastructure and amenities for devotees. It will identify the reasons behind the incident and recommend steps to prevent such occurrences in the future," he said. Deb emphasised the spiritual value of the festival. "Lakhs of devotees witnessed the festival from start to finish. I'm sure they had a momentous, memorable, and spiritual experience. While the delay in chariot pulling or the stampede was unfortunate and concerning, it did not detract from the devotional spirit of the event," he said.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Gajapati admn launches campaign to benefit tribal groups
Berhampur: To reach out to tribals, especially those belonging to the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG), the Gajapati administration will launch a campaign to organise camps and gram sabhas in their habitations across the district from Thursday. The camps will be held to tell them about the benefits under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA). These will be held in 345 villages under 86 panchayats of seven blocks, said collector (Gajapati) Bijay Kumar Dash. The campaign will be held till the month-end. Tribals will be told about 25 different programmes under 17 ministries to ensure that they receive benefits under these schemes, he said. The major schemes include Ayushman Bharat health scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan, Aadhar enrollment, labour registrations and cooking gas connection under Ujjwala scheme, and electrification. The govt has asked district authorities to launch such awareness campaign in tribal pockets and ensure the govt initiatives reach remote tribal areas. Ashutosh Mohapatra, project administrator, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Paralakhemundi, said the camps will be attended by officers of the line departments to ensure the redressal of individuals' problems. During this period, gram sabhas will also be held to approve village or community-level grievances and send them to district authorities. Some of these include community forest rights, electrification of the village, establishment of anganwadi centres, construction of roads and supply of drinking water, sources said. He said last year they held camps under the PM-JANMAN in 143 villages in the district. The DA-JGUA, a national-level initiative, was launched by the Union ministry of tribal affairs on Oct 2, 2024. The initiative aims to offer access to health, education, basic infrastructure, and livelihood opportunities for the tribal population, said Mohapatra.
New Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
ISKCON will get reply from Srimandir priests on Rath Yatra, says Gajapati
BHUBANESWAR/PURI : Amidst International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) holding untimely Rath Yatras in different parts of the world, Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb on Monday said the priests of Shree Jagannath Temple will send a reply to ISKCON to reach a consensus on holding the festival as per the shrine's schedule. Addressing mediapersons, the Gajapati said the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had taken up the issue with governing body commission of ISKCON at West Bengal's Mayapur in December last year and priests of both the Srimandir and ISKCON had met again in March this year. During the March meeting, Srimandir priests had provided them details of all the scriptures and the well-established traditions which mandate that Rath Yatra should be celebrated on the 'tithi' that Srimandir follows. 'However, ISKCON priests had some more doubts which our priests in Srimandir have agreed to clarify through a letter. This letter will be submitted to the ISKCON governing body commission soon. Hopefully, they will agree to follow the Srimandir tradition for Rath Yatra,' the Puri king said. He added that in case ISKCON does not agree, the Srimandir administration will check if any legal help can be taken on the issue. ISKCON holds Rath Yatra as per the Srimandir schedule in all its temples within the country but when it comes to its temples in other countries, there is no fixed schedule. 'We are happy that hundreds of new Jagannath temples have come up in many foreign countries, and many more are in the line but they should follow the traditions and rituals as per the prescribed norms practised in the Srimandir,' he added.
