Age-old tradition put to rest, Dalits worship Lord Jagannath

Kendrapada, Jan 29 (UNI) Putting to rest the age-old tradition and the year-long controversy, both the Dalits and the upper caste teople worshipped lord Jagannath amid tight security around the 300-year-old Keredagada temple.

Nearly 70 people, 50 of them dalits, entered the temple yesterday and converged at a particular place behind the iron barricade constructed near the main door of the sanctum sanctorum and offered prayer.

Dalits, including women, came to worship the deity while about 20 upper caste people visited the temple during the day to have a darshan of the Lord.

The upper caste people of the area still maintained that they would not worship the deity along with the Dalits from a particular place as decided by the district administration stating that the dalits have no ''right'' to worship with them inside the sanctum sanctorum.

As per the age old tradition the Dalits were not allowed to enter the temple premises.They were worshipping the Lord from the nine holes on the outer walls of the temple constructed by the then king of Kanika to give them an opportunity to sight the deities.

Some upper caste people alleged the district administration prohibited them from entering the sanctum sanctorum to and instead asked them to worship the Lord along with the Dalits.

When contacted Kendrapada District Magistrate Kashinath Sahu said the construction work in the sanctum sanctorum has been completed as per the decision taken by both the Dalit and upper caste leaders in presence of RDC (central) Suresh Mohapatra and DIG of Police Santosh Upadhhaya who visited the place last month to settle the issue amicably.

He said the upper caste leaders agreed to allow the Dalits to enter the temple and it was decided that the existing nine holes in front of the temple wall would be demolished and a new entrance will be constructed for entry of both Dalits and upper caste into the temple premises.

It was, however, decided that a barricade will be created near the sanctum sanctorum of the temple from where the dalits and the upper caste people would worship the deity .

The Dalits who were denied entry into the temple on the pretext of age old tradition, had threatened that they would forcibly enter the temple to have darshan of the deity. In November last, Orissa High court had stated that any Hindu irrespective of caste, has the right to enter the temple and directed the district administration to allow the dalits to have darshan inside the temple.

UNI