German tourist not allowed to enter Puri Jagannath Temple

A 35-year-old German tourist who tried to enter the Puri Jagannath Temple, was prevented from doing so by the priests because this temple is off limits to non-Hindus. The police detained the German based on a complaint filed by the one of the priests.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 February 2017.

The German tourist had arrived in Puri three days earlier and claimed to be a disciple of Lord Krishna and a follower of international society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON) and when he was prevented from entering from the main gate, he tried to enter from one of the other gates.
He possesses a valid passport and, admitted that he was aware of the temple's restriction on the access of non-Hindus but his argument was that he was a staunch follower of Lord Jagannath and had visited several other Hindu temples in India and, why should he not be slowed to enter this temple.
Incidentally, in spite of such a rule, there have been instances of foreigners who gained entry into the shrine in the past and had to undergo inhuman behavior in the hands of aggrieved priests. In fact, on December 28, 2010, an American woman was humiliated and thrown out of the shrine by a group of priests.
Such actions do not auger well for the tourism industry.


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The annual Mayurbhanj Utsav has been going on since 2011

The three-day annual Mayurbhanj Utsav which has been going on since 2011 has concluded - it was a hit with delicious food and fascinating tribal dance recitals to soaking in Makar revelry. This annual festival is organized by the Mayurbhanj Cultural Association to celebrate the district's culture and heritage in Bhubaneswar.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 9 January 2017.

The festival attracted a large number of visitors who got the opportunity to see traditional art forms of Mayurbhanj such as jhumur. Then there were the swift movements and rhythmic twirls displayed by the artistes from Mayurbhanj during Chhau performances - it was appreciated by one and all.
Visitors also relished the traditional Odia snack mudhi mansa - it has its origin in the Mayurbhanj district. There were around 10 kiosks set up - these served culinary delights right from dala khichdi to ram ruchuka. THen there were special offerings for deities, such as arisha - these are served at the Jagannath temple of Baripada.


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Durga Puja attraction - idol decked in 5-Kg gold ornaments and valued at Rs 2 crores

Gone are the days of pandal created to house the idols of Goddess Durga and her children. The olden day concept has been replaced by theme pujas and organizers break their heads searching for themes that have never been done earlier. The bottom line is to attract people to their pandals and garner footsteps in order to not just prove their existence but, also, their clout.
One of the star attractions this year in Kolkata would, undoubtedly, be a Durga idol decked in decked in 5-Kg gold ornaments and valued at Rs 2 crores.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 5 October 2016.

Durga’s crown for this idol is about 2ft high and those of the others in her retinue about 1.5ft. The idol is housed in a 100ft high replica of the Jagannath temple in Puri. In order to ensure utmost security, the organizers have installed 20 CCTV cameras and deployed over 200 private security guards. In addition, confectioners have been brought from Puri to make the famous khaja to distribute among devotees from Saptami to Dashami. Flags from the Puri temple have also been procured - these will be hoisted on top of the pandal.
Another idol has gold dusted on the idol that is carved out of a sandstone slab weighing 4.5 tonne. There is also a 13 inch gold crown in meenakari work with precious stones encrusting it for the Goddess. The 35ft pandal and decor are made of elaborate sirish wood carvings and visitors are being monitored on 16 CCTV cameras from two control rooms, with 100 private security guards on duty.


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Temples in Bhubaneswar damaged by lightning strikes

The recent lightning strikes in Odisha have damaged several temples in Bhubaneswar. One of these is the Jameshwar Temple. A deep crack has developed on the walls of the 11th century temple and a chunk of its ornate exterior is hanging precariously. Another temple that has suffered damages is the venerable Anant Vasudev temple in the city - its flag has burnt.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 2 August 2016.

These incidents highlight the poor condition of heritage monuments across the state with inadequate conservation measures. There are nearly 78 protected monuments in the ASI Bhubaneswar Circle. However, only a few like the Lingaraj, Konark and the Jagannath temple in Puri have lightning arrestors. The crown of an auxiliary shrine on the premises of the 11th century Lingaraj Temple was destroyed in a lightning strike a few years ago. Last year, also similar incidents damaged some temples in the city's Old Town area.
Odisha State Archaeology fixes lightning arresters on monuments that are more than 50ft high. The state archeology department manages a total of 218 monuments and, because of the latest incident, it has been decided to review the lightning protocol.


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