How Puri Mathas Turned into Commercial Ventures!

Puri: The so-called cultural protectionists and intellectuals are opposing the Odisha Government’s ongoing demolition drive around the centuries old Shree Jagannath Temple. They have consorted negative campaign on the social media against the state government for its bold decision to go ahead with the transformation plan that calls for demolition of unsafe and illegal structures within 75 meter radius of the Shree Mandir in view of the security to the Shri Jagannath Temple. Now a section of the sadhus and spiritual leaders have joined the agitation questioning the safety of the mathas in the holy city.

It seems that the intellectuals who are protesting the demolition drive have never visited the mathas or never realized the unforeseen threats that the structures are facing! The Sadhus, who are now showing concerns about the safety and security of mathas, have never come forward to suggest their ideas for the betterment of the centuries old mathas!

It is quite natural that any bold decision will have its repercussions. But what is the ground reality with the mathas? The Emar Matha or other mathas are an integral part of the Jagannath cult, but what have been done with these monasteries over the years is real unfortunate and must be intervened. The mathas have gradually lost their cultural relevance due to sheer commercialization.

Does Jagannath culture allow using mathas for commercial purposes? Shoe stands inside mathas and shoe shops in the rented house of mathas? Does not it defame the sanctity of mathas? The mathas set up exclusively for the promotion and propagation of Jagannath culture have gradually deviated from the sole purpose of disseminating Jagannath culture and become commercial ventures! There have also been instances of how the valuable land and properties of mathas are being misused for business purposes? The current reformation plan is not to demolish the mathas, but to demolish the structures used for commercial purposes diminishing importance of mathas, so that the devotees will have better views of the structures and engage in discussions with the spiritual leaders residing in the monasteries. The situation is more or less in almost all mathas.

The mathas are surrounded by shops and their glossy billboards. And not surprisingly, the identity of the mathas is lost behind the glossy boards.

Unfortunately, the mathas have been commercialized. The properties of mathas are being mismanaged. There is no official audit on the earnings of mathas through commercialization! The condition of the mathas has not been improved. The caretakers of mathas have never bothered about it. Hence, the government has repeatedly raised its concerns over the security and sanctity of the mathas.

The intervention by the administration in the affairs of the mathas is a must as it is associated with the Jagannath Temple. The government has time and again said that the sanctity of the mutts will be preserved and better facilities will be provided once the cleanup work is completed. The presiding deity’s of the mutts and the traditions associated with them will be kept intact so that they will play an important role in the development of Puri into a World Heritage City. Interestingly, the mathas had never organized any assembly of hundreds of Sadhus before. Now all in a sudden they are now coming to Puri to side with the protestors after ten days of the demolition drive. Who is instigating them!