BHUBANESWAR: A day after Jagannath temple administration in Puri suggested restriction on presence of pilgrims on the three chariots during the ensuing RathYatra, the shrine servitors/attendants on Tuesday threatened to boycott rituals during the nine-day festival.

"Pilgrims should not be prevented from having close darshan of the deities. Rath Yatra is the only occasion in a year when pilgrims get to touch the deities. We will protest if the temple administration imposes restrictions," said Jagannath Swain Dasmohapatra, a servitor.

Like previous years, the temple administration on Monday asked the priests to keep the chariots less crowded to allow devotees, standing on the ground, to catch a clear glimpse of the deities. "We are trying to convince the priests about the necessity of a disciplined darshan and crowd management on chariots," temple's chief administrator Arvind Padhee said.

"After the chariots reach Gundicha temple, we will allow pilgrims to clamber atop the chariots in queue," he added.

Wary of the last year's assault on an American tourist atop a chariot in front of Gundicha temple, the temple administration has sought cooperation of police for proper crowd management. However, the temple is undecided on whether to allow foreign tourists on chariots. "It is a sensitive issue and being pursued by the Sankaracharya of Puri," Padhee said.