Scholars Condemn Sea Immersion of Consecrated Jagannath Idols

The Story in Brief

Religious scholars and Jagannath culture followers have criticised the recent immersion of consecrated idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Sudarshan in the sea at Puri, Odisha TV reports. They say the practice violates scriptural injunctions and long-standing temple traditions.

According to the scholars cited by Odisha TV, damaged idols should be repaired during the Anabasara period or, if worship is no longer possible, given to a recognised monastery or temple. Under the Nabakalebara ritual, old wooden idols are ceremonially buried after new ones are installed. Researcher Pandit Suryanarayan Ratha Sharma said consecrated Jagannath idols should not be immersed in water, as they can float back and wash ashore.

The Indian Opinion

The episode should not become a contest between devotional emotion and easy accusations of disrespect. Claims that every idol must follow one immersion rule ignore the distinct customs for stone, clay, metal and wooden images. At the same time, informal advice is a poor basis for handling consecrated deities. The sensible next step is a clear public statement from the authorised temple authorities on what happened and which ritual applies. Will they confirm whether the idols were formally consecrated and prescribe their proper disposal?

Source: odishatv.in

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