Devotees Break Open Dhabaleswar Temple Door For Darshan On Bada Osha Amidst Priest Strike

Cuttack: Devotees took matters into their own hands during a strike by priests at the Baba Dhabaleswar Temple on Saturday morning, breaking open the shrine door for darshan of the Lord on the auspicious occasion of Bada Osha.

The incident unfolded when devotees, who had been waiting patiently since Friday, found the temple doors closed. Frustrated by the lack of access to the shrine, they reportedly broke open the door, allowing themselves and other eager worshippers to enter for darshan.

The temple closure stemmed from a strike by the temple priests, which had created a standoff with the district administration. As a result, devotees were barred from entering the temple premises since Friday. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations between the servitors and the administration, no resolution was reached, leaving devotees without the opportunity to have darshan on the significant day of Bada Osha.

At the heart of the conflict lies the alleged auction of two cycle stands near the temple and the unexpected placement of barricades along the route from the suspension bridge to the temple. These actions hindered devotees from making donations to the priests, sparking resentment among both worshippers and servitors.

The temple priests expressed their discontent, claiming that the administration’s actions, particularly the erection of barricades during Panchuka, disrupted the traditional offerings of bhog and dakshina. They further accused the district administration of arbitrarily auctioning two cycle stands, even though the temple priest committee had already conducted an auction, resulting in significant financial losses for them.