SJTA to review 10-hour delay in ‘Brahma Paribartan’ of Lords

The Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) will review the 10-hour delay in the ‘Brahma Paribartan’ of the Lords at the Shree Mandir in Odisha’s holy town of Puri.

The ritual, which has been traditionally performed in late night, was completed on Tuesday afternoon.

In a major departure from tradition, the arduous and secret Brahma Paribartan (transfer of soul from old idols to the new ones) of four deities of Jagannath temple, the most important ritual of Nabakalebara, was completed on Tuesday evening after a delay of several hours.

SJTA chief administrator Suresh Mohapatra said the temple administration will have a detailed review and take action against those responsible for the inordinate delay.

While a section of Daitapatis attributed it to the inordinate delay in conclusion of the ongoing 11-day ‘Mahayajna’ in Koilibaikuntha, sources said it was the outcome of factionalism among the Daitapatis.

Many Daitapatis said the Mahayajna was to be concluded on Monday evening, but it ended at 3 AM.

Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Dev has made it clear that the delay was not caused by him. The Gajapati Maharaja, however, did not make any comments on the delay in the Brahma Parivartan rituals of the Lords.

Talking to the media, Biswabasu Binayak Das Mohapatra said all Daitapatis and Brahmanas did their best to complete all rituals of the Lords in time.

Referring to the delay in the Brahma Parivartan of the Lords, Sudarshan Badagrahi Nabakishore Pati Mohapatra said since there was a delay in the pahandi of the Lords, the other rituals also got delayed.

However, those who know temple traditions said the servitors had grossly violated the ritual schedule of the temple administration.

Completion of in the construction of the idols was delayed while the pratistha yajna, scheduled to be over before sunset, began at 2.30 AM. The consecration of the temple premises, scheduled at 8 PM, was completed only at 4 AM.

This was followed by a dispute among the Daitapatis, who, instead of giving priority to the divine responsibility, tried to assert their supremacy, sources said.

The ritual was completed at 5 PM after the darshan of the Brahmas by five senior servitors, along with the four Badagrahis.