SJTA suspends Daita servitor Ramakrushna

Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arvind Padhee on Sunday suspended Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, a Daita servitor of the temple, for thirty days over his controversial involvement with the Jagannath temple in Digha.

According to the official order, Ramakrushna is barred from performing any religious services or entering the temple during the suspension period. The suspension was imposed due to actions deemed damaging to the image of Sri Mandir, as stated by the SJTA Chief in a press release. The order further stipulates that Ramakrushna must not attempt to intimidate members of his Nijog or others involved in the incident, nor interfere with the rituals of the temple. Any violation of these terms will result in an extended suspension and stricter disciplinary actions.

Meanwhile, Security personnel and supervisors of the temple have been directed to closely monitor Ramakrushna’s behaviour and report any violations to the administration. Should he act against the interests of Sri Mandir or disobey the chief administrator’s directives, any pending payments for past services may be withheld or forfeited.

In these connection, previously, the SJTA had issued two notices to Ramakrushna. The first, dated May 4, questioned his claim—publicly made in the media—that the idols (Bigrahas) for the Digha Jagannath temple were carved from surplus sacred Daru wood left over from the 2015 Nabakalebar ceremony of Lord Jagannath and his siblings. This statement reportedly shocked devotees and stirred emotional unrest, tarnishing the sanctity of Sri Mandir. Ramakrushna was asked to respond within seven days.

The second notice, issued on May 9, asked why he, as a servitor of Sri Mandir, participated in the Pratistha (consecration) ceremony of a temple named Jagannath Dham–Digha. He was also directed to clarify whether he had raised any objection to the temple being named as such. SJTA Chief Administrator Arvind Padhee said these disciplinary actions are part of an effort to restore order and reverence within the temple institution. “It is our duty to shun pride and greed, and to uphold the glorious traditions of Srimandir. That is the highest form of service to Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath”, he stated, warning that indiscipline will not be tolerated.

The controversy erupted following an interview given by Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, secretary of the Daita Nijog, to a Bengali television channel. In the interview, he claimed to have brought the Bigrahas of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Mahalaxmi to Digha, using leftover sacred Daru wood from the 2015 Nabakalebar ritual. He consecrated these idols at the Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, on April 30, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. The temple was inaugurated the same day by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The interview which was proved to be controversial quickly went viral on social media, sparking outrage within the servitor community and among devotees. Amid mounting backlash, Ramakrushna convened a press conference where he retracted his earlier statement, claiming that only ordinary Neem wood, and not sacred Daru was used.

Given the intensity of the backlash, the SJTA Chief Administrator convened a meeting with office bearers (presidents and secretaries) of the Chhatisha Nijog to discuss the alleged unauthorised use of sacred Daru wood.

The four Biswakarmas, traditional temple carpenters who sculpted the idols during the 2015 Nabakalebar—were also questioned regarding the disposal of leftover Daru wood. In the sacred Nabakalebar ritual, the deities receive newly carved bodies from specially chosen Neem trees, and the Brahma (soul essence) is transferred from the old idols to the new ones in a secret midnight ceremony. This event occurs every 9, 12, or 19 years, depending on planetary alignments.

Team Maverick