BHUBANESWAR: A member of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee has appealed to temple and government authorities to discontinue the recent practice of keeping the deities awake on Gregorian New Year’s Eve by opening the sanctum at midnight. He has termed this practice inconsistent with Sanatan Hindu traditions and long-established temple rituals.
Mahesh Sahu, a member of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple’s managing committee, has written to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the Chairman of the temple’s managing committee; Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan; and Srimandir Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee, expressing strong objections to the shrine’s midnight opening on January 1.
In his letter, Sahu emphasised that Bhagwan Jagannath, along with Bhagwan Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, is the presiding deity of Sanatan Hindus, and that all rituals at the revered Vaishnavite shrine are conducted strictly in accordance with ancient Hindu scriptures and centuries-old temple traditions. He noted that over the last few years, opening the temple at midnight to mark the Gregorian New Year has gradually become a regular practice.
According to Sahu, this practice is neither religiously appropriate nor aligned with the temple’s traditional customs. He described the issue as “religiously sensitive” and urged the authorities to give it serious consideration and take steps to prevent practices that violate established traditions.
Sahu further noted that January 1 does not mark the traditional Hindu New Year, which is observed in mid-April. He argued that opening the temple soon after the ‘Pahuda’ ritual, which signifies the deities’ rest period, violates long-standing temple norms.
Several servitors, cultural activists, and devotees have supported Sahu’s appeal, stating that the deities deserve adequate rest and that temple rituals should not be altered to accommodate modern or Western celebrations. “We should not allow the deities to remain awake at night to promote Western culture. Temple traditions must be respected,” said a senior servitor.
Manoj Rath, founder of the Utkal Bidwata Parishad, an organisation dedicated to preserving Odisha’s cultural heritage, echoed similar sentiments. “We have been consistently demanding that the deities should not be kept awake for New Year darshan. Temple traditions should not be compromised,” he said.
A senior Sevayat of the temple also endorsed the appeal, stating that opening the shrine at midnight after the Pahuda ritual violates long-standing customs. “January 1 is not our New Year. Keeping the deities awake at night goes against temple traditions and should be stopped,” he said.
Temple authorities have clarified that no final decision has been made yet. An official of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) stated that the matter is under consideration, and a decision will be made after consultations with the state government.
On normal days, around 40,000 devotees visit the shrine, while the number rises to two to four lakh during festivals.
