Servitors of Jagannath temple cannot accept donations from devotees

The Supreme Court on Friday barred the servitors of Puri Jagannath temple to accept donations from devotees. It has passed a slew of directions to prevent exploitation of devotees by sevaks (staff) at the famed Jagannath temple in Odisha.

Listing the steps ahead of the Rath Yatra next month, the top court said it is of prime importance that all devotees have hassle-free visits and the offerings made by them are not misused.

It directed the Odisha government to study the management schemes of other important shrines such as Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir, Somnath temple in Gujarat, Golden Temple in Punjab, Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh and Dharamsthala temple in Karnataka.

Millions of devotees and tourists visit the country’s famed temples and some make huge offerings and donations.

“It is of prime importance that all the visitors have hassle-free visits and the offerings made are utilised for righteous objects and not misappropriated in any manner by the staff/sevaks,” the bench said.

It directed that the staff ought to be duly compensated by the legitimate remuneration as may be determined by the authority concerned.

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