The Supreme Court in 2018 urged the Jagannath temple administration in Odisha to consider allowing non-Hindus to enter the temple, saying that Hinduism doesn’t eliminate any other faith and is the eternal faith, wisdom and inspiration of centuries.

“The temple management may consider, subject to regulatory measures with regard to a dress code, giving an appropriate declaration permitting every visitor, irrespective of his faith, to offer respects and make offerings to the deity,” the court said.

The observations, quoting also from the Bhagavad Gita, come days after reports said some temple servitors had misbehaved with President Ramnath Kovind and his wife during a recent visit.

Non-Hindus are not allowed into the temple, which had attracted controversy over its refusal to allow entry to Indira Gandhi at the height of her powers. Though Gandhi was a Hindu, the temple management did not allow her entry as she was married to a non-Hindu.

Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs are, however, allowed. Nepal’s erstwhile Hindu rulers and the Bhutanese kings have often been seen visiting the temple.

A two-judge bench of Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Ashok Bhushan suggested that people of other faiths be allowed provided they agree to comply with the rules and traditions. They quoted Krishna as telling Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita that those who worship other gods with full faith also worship him.

The suggestion will be examined by the amicus curiae in the case, Gopal Subramanium, who is looking at all aspects of a PIL which sought court intervention to clean up the temple administration and ensure a smooth pilgrimage for pilgrims. The Centre and state were also told to examine it.

The Odisha government did not immediately respond to the suggestion which could raise conservative hackles back in the state.

The Puri temple, of the four maths set up by the Shankaracharya, is one of the holiest Hindu shrines.

However the temple administration has been dogged by allegations of financial malfeasance and misbehaviour by the staff and servitors.

The PIL was filed by Meenakshi Parhi. The central government is being represented in the case by additional solicitor general Vikramjit Banerjee. The state advocate general SP Mishra was also present during the hearing along with other state lawyers Shibashish Misra and Sibo Shankar Misra.

The Jagannath temple was represented by lawyer Swetaketu Mishra.

Acting on the PIL during the vacation, the bench had earlier asked the central government to set up a committee that would examinethe best practices in all shrines in India so that those could be replicated elsewhere for the benefit of pilgrims and best utilisation of resources.

References:

economictimes.indiatimes.com - By Samanwaya Rautray