By Our Correspondent
PURI/BHUBANESWAR:Jagannath culture does not only refer to behavior, thought or worship methods. Jagannath culture is the living embodiment of the highest dedication, devotion and service in life. Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan said this while participating in the “Samarpan – Seva o Sevak Samman-2026” organized by the unique Sevak Sangh of Shrimandir ‘Pratihari Niyog’ in Puri on Monday.
Shri Pradhan said that the thirty-four service engagements have a special and unique significance in the service system of the temple. But among all those servant communities, the role of ‘Pratihari Niyog’ is very important, special and great. The word ‘Pratihari’ itself is filled with the meaning of protection, dedication, discipline and discipline. The Pratihari servants engage themselves day and night to protect the temple’s walls, protect the doors, maintain the Nitikanti properly and allow crores of devotees to have darshan of Mahaprabhu. In this context, today’s meeting is not a formal event, but rather a divine occasion to pay homage to the thousand-year-old tradition of dedicated service, devotion, sacrifice and discipline of the temple.
Shri Pradhan said, the devotion and community that is created in the temple of Mahaprabhu is not seen anywhere else. With God, there is no division and no division. Puri is not just a temple, Puri is a unique center of human consciousness. Puri needs peace, love and trust in each other – our Puri is the laboratory for all these.
He further said, about two hundred years ago, a common man from Odisha, whom you called ‘Dhuli Baba’ in Puri, later went to meet and was influenced by Mahima Gosain. Inspired by that ‘Sawana Brahma’ and Darubrahma, he interpreted, defined and commented on the concept of Sawana Brahma. Emerging from that great inspiration, the saint poet Bhim Bhoi was born as a unique personality in a village in Sambalpur district. His immortal words “Mo Jivan Ke Narke Pedhathai, Jagat Davasa Hom” prove that no thought or practice is ever trivial or small in Odisha.
On this occasion, Shri Pradhan witnessed for the first time in his life the traditional and almost extinct ‘Mahari’ dance of Odisha performed on the stage and praised it.
