Wait Over for Non-Hindus, Converted-Hindus

BY: SUN STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Jul 12, 2010 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — The year-long wait of non-Hindus and converted-Hindus, mostly foreigners, is over. The presiding Deities of Puri Jagannath temple, which is off limits to non-Hindus, will be out in the open on July 13th for devotees, irrespective of caste and class. But elated the most are the foreign devotees, who embraced Vaisnavism. Even though they have been converted and are followers of Lord Krishna, their entry inside Jagannath Temple is still prohibited.

"But we are happy that we can be able to see the Lord on July 13. We can even touch His chariot," said Krishna Karunya das, a devotee of Gaudiya Sampradaya.

Das, who hails from the Philippines, has been a frequent visitor to Puri. A staunch believer in Lord Jagannath, he has participated in Rath Yatra celebrations here for the last ten years. And he will continue coming to Puri in the coming years, as well.

"I am a die hard devotee of Lord Jagannath, who is incarnation of Lord Krishna. Jagannath's Rath Yatra holds much significance for me. So I have never missed the Lord's annual sojourn for last ten years," he said.

Jay Chaitanya das, another foreign devotee from New York said, "I too have attended Rath Yatra thrice here. I am not much worried about the bar on our entry into Jagannath Temple. Devotion towards the Lord matters a lot for me."

Giridhari das from Costa Rica and Prem Pradip das from America also corroborated what Chaitanya das said. All of them reached Puri a few days ago. "By following the path of Lord Krishna and Jagannath, we found a sea change in our lifestyle. We find eternal pleasure by chanting the names of Krishna and Jagannath," Giridhari das said.

Since Puri is the real abode of Lord Jagannath, the devotees from abroad feel it a privilege to take part in Rath Yatra. "We will sing, dance and chant in front of the chariots," Prem das said.

Sources said more than three hundred foreign devotees, including those from ISKCON are in Puri to witness Rath Yatra. But some of them are upset over the decree of ‘only Hindus are allowed into temple'. The controversial debate whether non-Hindus and converted Hindus should be allowed to enter the Jagannath Temple once again came to the fore with the so-called 'converted Hindus' (Vaisnava devotees) reiterating their earnest appeal to the decision makers for their entry into the 12th century shrine.

"Unlike many Hindus, we do not wear cozy pants or shirts while praying near the God. We have shunned luxury and wealth for the sake of God, which very few Hindus can think of doing. Above all, the foreigners in ISKCON have undergone purification ritual and embraced Hindu religion. What else do we need to do to prove our devotion and sincerity to Lord Jagannath," asked Sadhubalabhadra das, an ISKCON devotee from America who embraced Hinduism five years ago.

Two years ago, Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb had urged the Sankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, to iron out the contentious issue regarding who can enter Jagannath Temple by holding discussion with other religious scholars. But little headway has been made on this.

Some devotees argued that the religion of a devotee at Jagannath Temple is identified by one's ‘colour complexion', which is a strange way of tracing someone's religion.

"A number of Indians, who are Muslim and Christians might be entering the temple. But since their skin colour and appearance look like Hindus, nobody doubts them," an ISKCON devotee said. There have been a number of unsavoury incidences in the past where Hindus were also stopped at the temple gate as they (their skin colour) made them look like foreigners.

Youths feel that the age-old custom needs a change. "I have seen the passion and devotion of foreign devotees for Lord Jagannath reaching crescendo during the Rath Yatra. Times are changing. There is no harm in allowing them to the temple," said city-based student, Harish Swain.

But temple priests stick to their ‘traditional' guns. "There should not be bent in the rich tradition of Lord Jagannath. Foreigners will not understand our art and culture," said Balabhadra Mohapatra, a priest said.