By Our Correspondent
PURI/BHUBANESWAR: With from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to Puri Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingh Deb to SJTA Chief Dr Krishna Kumar, all are worry for Lord Jaganath’s World famous Rath Yatra slated for July in view of the COVID-19 outbreak , the Daitapati Nijog, one of the key servitors body, was on Monday submitted a list of 150 servitors to be engaged for Snana Jatra rituals(Bathing ceremony) of Lord Jagannath in pilgrimage city of Puri in Odisha. Snana Yatra is slated for June 5.
“The list of servitors for pahandi rituals has been prepared as per the Satwalipi (RoR) of Jagannath Temple. Total 150 servitors of Daitapati nijog will take part in pahandi rituals of Lord Jagannath and His holy siblings,” said Daitapati Nijog Secretary Durga Dasmohapatra after a meeting. The list has been be handed over to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) for approval, he said.
Of 150 servitors, 60 will be engaged for pahandi of Lord Jagannath, 50 for Lord Balabhadra, 30 for Goddess Subhadra and 10 servitors will be in service of Lord Sudarshan to bring the deities from Ratna Singhasan to Snana Mandap.
The decision will be taken later to engage number of servitors for deities at Snana Mandap, he added.It may be note here that the SJTA has decided to conduct Snana Jatra of Lord Jagannath on auspicious Jyestha Purnima with minimum servitors by following social distancing norms to prevent spread of COVID-19 during the festival. The servitors, who will be engaged for Snana Jatra, will undergo COVID test ahead of the festival.
