Puri Temple Apologizes for Calendar Errors, Halts Sale Amid Devotee Dissatisfaction

Chief Administrator Apologizes for Serious Error in Temple Calendar, Sale Stopped Puri, 31/12 (Bureau): The Chief Administrator of the Temple has apologized. The distribution and sale of the English New Year calendar of the Temple has been stopped. The temple administration has taken this decision after finding errors in the photographs placed in this calendar and seeing the dissatisfaction of the devotees regarding this. In several photos presented in the calendar, Shri Balabhadra has been placed in place of Arudha Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath on the Ratnavedi and Sri Jagannath has been placed in place of Sri Balabhadra. Sri Sudarshan is not present in the photos at all. Similarly, the chariots that gather during the Rath Yatra have also been misrepresented. The photos of Goddess Subhadra's chariot being taken to Srigundicha temple are presented first, followed by Sri Jagannath's chariot and finally Sri Balabhadra's chariot. The photos depicted on the locket have been copied and printed in the calendar. The temple administration said in a press release that the century-old photo on the locket has been brought to the Odisha State Museum and placed in the English New Year calendar. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that after coming to know about the error, he discussed it with the Chief Administrator. Senior legislator Ramesh Prasad Sinha said that it is questionable whether the calendar was prepared with the knowledge of the temple's management committee. Apart from this, questions have also been raised about the responsibility of the subcommittee working under the steering committee for the protection and promotion of Shri Jagannath culture. The work of the Project Culture Subcommittee and the Shri Jagannath Philosophy Research, Publication and Promotion Subcommittee has been criticized. The head of both the committees is Gajapati. There are many well-known Shri Jagannath culture researchers and servants in it. Action should be taken against the person who has committed such a mistake.