The Sri Jagannath Temple heritage corridor project, which is part of an ambitious scheme to develop Puri into a heritage city of international standards, has drawn support from various quarters. Media reports suggest that even Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, the scion of the local royal family, has backed it saying that it posed no threat to the 12th-century shrine which is visited by lakhs of pilgrims daily. The project was also discussed in the temple managing committee meeting which wants its early completion.
Sources said that since the concept of the heritage corridor plan had been approved by the temple managing committee, there should be little problem in the implementation of the project. Given the sentiments attached to the shrine and the city of Puri, the project is being seen as the collective responsibility of all Jagannath devotees.
Some critics have raised objections to the projects alleging violation of some central laws. However, supporters of the project have not only dismissed the allegations but also suggested that if at all there are any problems related to implementation, they should be sorted out amicably.
Earlier, representatives of sevayats (servitors) had thrown their weight behind it. A large number of cultural bodies, religious institutions and eminent personalities have also come out in support of the project. They have asked critics to desist from politicizing the issue while appealing to the authorities to adhere to the guidelines of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) during implementation.
With focus on the shrine, the Sri Jagannath Temple managing committee is learnt to have approved an annual budget of Rs 248.51 crore for the upkeep of the 12th century monument for 2022-23 fiscal. The temple will seek to augment its coffers with state grant earnings and proceeds of temple endowment, interest on corpus fund, compensation from temple land and interest from Hundi fund.
The major expenditure will be on organizing festivals, paying wages of servitors, salary of staff, establishment cost, welfare programmes of servitors’ families and establishment of a Gurukul school. The managing committee is said to have held discussions on the execution of an MoU with Bhumiputra Foundation to establish a Gurukul system of school exclusively for the children of servitors.
Being the spiritual nerve centre of the state, the Jagannath Temple attracts lakhs of devotees every year but its running cost is believed to be rising and hence the need for more funds. In the past, the temple has faced a financial crunch a number of times, which forced the authorities to think in terms of long-term measures to tide over the crisis. Sound financial health of the temple is also crucial to the execution of the projects connected with it.
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