BHUBANESWAR: Around 120 school students from Jamshedpur were
on Sunday evicted from the Jagannath Temple in Puri after it was known that
they were non-Hindus.
The 12th century shrine is off limits to non-Hindus. The
students and their teachers, who were ignorant of the temple rule, faced
humiliation near the baisi pahanch (twenty-two steps) after a group of priests
questioned their religion.
They came to Puri on study tour, sources said. "Though
all the students were Indians, many of them were non-Hindus. We immediately
intervened and politely asked them to vacate the shrine precinct,"
temple's public relations officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda told TOI.
He denied the students and teachers were insulted by
priests. The incident rekindled memories of unpalatable incidents, involving
non-Hindus facing wrath from some uncouth priests in the past. While foreigners
were beaten up and thrown outside the shrine, an American woman last year cried
inconsolably after being jeered by a few priests. High drama unfolded in front
of the Puri Jagannath temple on December 10, 2011 after a group of foreign
tourists staged a symbolic protest demanding entry into the shrine.
The visitors, many of whom were ISKCON pilgrims, claimed to
be converted-Hindus and insisted the temple authorities to let them enter the
shrine. Earlier on December 23, 2010, a tourist from New Zealand demonstrated
in front of the shrine demanding entry.
Source: TOI
