Chariot climbing issue: Orissa HC serves notice to Shankaracharya

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Jan 12:

The Orissa High Court today made Shankaracharya of Govardhanpeeth Swami Nischalananda Saraswati a party in the case pertaining to the seer’s chariot climbing during the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath at Puri.

The High Court has served notice to the Shankaracharya to present his side in the case.

Dispute had arisen after the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) imposed ban on darshan of the Lords by devotees by climbing atop chariots during the Rath Yatra.

The SJTA had sought the opinion of the Shankaracharya in the matter.

On the basis of his opinion the SJTA decided that only Gajapati Maharaj and Shankaracharya apart from the sevayats (servitors) were eligible to have darshan of the Lords by climbing atop the chariots.

The decision of the temple administration was challenged by one Basanta Behera in the High Court through a PIL.