Bhubaneswar: The authorities of Jagannath temple at Odisha’s Puri town have suspended senior Daitapati servitor Ramakrushna Das Mahapatra from the shrine duty for a period of one month.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) initiated the disciplinary action against Das Mahapatra for allegedly tarnishing the dignity of the 12th century shrine.

The suspension order, issued by Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief Arabinda Padhee, bars the Daitapati servitor from performing any rituals at the shrine for one month (30 days).

Das Mahapatra has also been prohibited from entering the temple premises during the suspension period.

The SJTA has warned Das Mahapatra not to influence or intimidate any servitors of Jagannath temple and hinder performance of rituals at the shrine during his suspension period.

Any violation in this regard will invite stricter disciplinary action against the Daitapati servitor, said the SJTA.

 The SJTA has directed the temple commander and senior supervisor to keep tab on the activities of Das Mahapatra and submit regular reports in this regard to the temple authorities.  

The temple administration had earlier served a showcause notice on Das Mahapatra in connection with his contradictory statements regarding the construction of idols for a newly-built shrine at Digha in West Bengal. The SJTA had asked Das Mahapatra to submit his reply within seven days.

The SJTA served the showcause notice on Das Mahapatra in the wake of media reports that surplus neem wood (sacred Daru) from Nabakalebar rituals at Puri Jagannath temple were used for construction of idols for the Digha shrine.

Das Mahapatra reportedly told some media channels in West Bengal that he had taken the surplus neem wood from the 2015 Nabakalebar rituals at Puri Jagannath temple to Digha for construction of idols.

However, Dasmahapatra, later, clarified that he had not said so to any media channel. "This is a false report. I have never told this to any news channel. My statements might have been morphed or intentionally edited. One thing, I told the media people that neem wood idols were consecrated at the newly-built temple at Digha," he said.

It was alleged that contradictory statements issued by Dasmahapatra have caused confusion among devotees of Lord Jagannath as well as tarnished the dignity of the 12th century shrine. 

Notably, Das Mahapatra and a few other servitors of Puri Jagannath temple had attended the inauguration of Digha shrine in West Bengal.