Five Sasans still wait for Muktimandap seat

Despite a recommendation of the Chief Administrator of the Shree Jaganath Temple Administration (SJTA) to include five Sasans (Brahmin-inhabited villages) into Muktimandap, the file is still pending since 2016 in the Law Department for a gazette notification.

The members of Sasans have already met the Law Minister with representation, but action is yet to be taken even after two months have already passed.

The Sasans have sought interference of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to ensure a gazette notification early so as to make them eligible to sit on Muktimandap. They have argued that in the past their forefathers used to sit on the Muktimandap, but since 1955 they have lost right.

They alleged that due to some vested interest in the Law Department, they are deprived of their ancestral right to the Jagannath Temple.

To be noted here that the five villages such as Pratap Ramachandrapur,  Bijay Ramachanndrapur, Uvaya-mukhi Ramachandrapur, Kapileshawarapur and Nua Samasarpur have been demanding seats on the Muktimadap for last six decades. Despite a Sananda (certificate) received from Puri King in 1987 for permission over the Muktimadap, they have since been unheard of by both management of Muktimadap and the SJTA.

As per records, prior to 1955, those villages had enjoyed a title but during formation of temple laws, the administrator struck many villages from the list. The administrator struck villages those were found absent during a physical verification. When many villages remained in the list for presence, others lost rights for absence during spot survey. Accordingly, some villages got entitlement in the newly formed temple laws with rest losing right to ascend.

In 2015, based on individual petition on behalf of those villages, the Muktimandap gave them permission and sent consent to the temple administration for correction of bylaws. The Chief Administrator in the year also gave recommendation to a longstanding demand and sent it to the Law Department for gazette notification.

The file is still pending untouched since 2016. The villagers have complained that the file is resting on the desk of a Deputy Secretary.

Notably, the ancestors of the villagers originally belonged to Kanykubja of UP and had come to Puri on invitation of the Puri king.

Centuries ago, the then kings had established Sasans to advise them on day-to-day rites and rituals of the Lords. As many as 50 small to big Sasans were set up by the kings from time to time.

The Sasans were offered tax-free landholding, besides several amenities free, based on their eminence on Hinduism.

They were offered seats on the Muktimandap being honoured as acting deities of the temple.

Myth has it that the height of Muktimandap is 12-finger higher than the Ratnasinghasan, which speaks volumes of the dignity of the representatives.