Kapileswar Temple Shut For 10 Days

Bhubaneswar: Uncertainty looms over reopening of Kapileswar temple in Old town which has remained shut since last ten days following the Handi Bhanga ritual fiasco between Khuntia and Malia servitors of the shrine.

A meeting was held between the Kapileswar temple trust members, representatives of both the servitor sects under the chairmanship of Khurda Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy here at the Circuit House on Sunday. The Collector urged the servitors to perform the rituals as directed by the Orissa High Court, but the Malia sevayats did not relent.

On the other hand, the Khuntia servitors told not to accept any other arrangement rather that the High Court order. Abani Patnaik, member of the temple trust, asked to submit names two servitors by both Khuntia and Malia sects to follow government routine, but in-vain.

As no conclusion was drawn to reopen the temple, the Collector is mulling to apprise the state government in this regard asking for interference. According to the government routine, the state administration can hire outside servitors to perform rituals of the temple amid tight police security.