Ban on public darshan in Keredagada Jagannath Temple

Kendrapada, Nov 26 (UNI) The upper caste as well as the Dalits in Kereadagada and its adjoining areas were prevented from entering the 300-year old temple by the district administration to worship the lord Jagannath.

The dalits who had threatened to enter into the temple today forcibly, also stayed away in view of the Orissa High Court order which ordered that till the disposal of the writ petition other than the priests nobody would enter inside the temple to worship the lord.

The High Court direction came on Friday last following a petition filed by an advocate alleging that the district administration and the local police had failed to take any steps to protect the rights of the Dalits and allow them entry into the Hindu temple at Keredagada.

The court directed the district administration to deploy minimum required force for maintaining law and order situation in and around Jagannath temple.

The Dalits in the area are up in arms as they were denied entry into the temple keeping in view the age old tradition. The Upper caste people argued that the Royal family of Kanika who had built the temple imposed a ban on dalits to enter the temple.

At least two platoons of police force were deployed near the temple in order to avert any possible untoward incident and restrict the public from entery the temple.

The people, including the dalits were seen worshipping the Lord outside the temple following the court's order. This would be the first time in the history of the area that the upper caste people were deprived of worshipping the lord from the sanctum sanctorum.

Till the disposal of the case in the High court they would have to worship Lord Jagannath through the nine holes constructed on the wall of the temple by the then King of Kanika to give opportunity to the Dalits to worship and see the lord.

The situation at Keredagada was still tense as the Dalits are determined to enter the temple while the upper caste people had vowed not to allow the Dalits entery into the temple.

Both the communities have to wait till the High court order, likely to be delivered on November 29 to prepare their plan.

UNI XC DP BA SAM DB2317