BHUBANESWAR, July 12, 2013: The controversy, related to whether pilgrims should be allowed onto chariots, might have been set aside for now, but all eyes are on the PuriSankaracharya, who will take a final decision on it. DebabrataMohapatra speaks to the seer in Puri.

Q: Prior to this Rath Yatra, the Jagannath temple administration wanted to prevent pilgrims from climbing onto the chariots. Do you think that would have been perfect?

A: At this stage, I cannot say whether it would have been perfect or not. Some temple officers, servitors and the Puri King visited me twice recently and sought my advice on two issues - whether pilgrims should be allowed onto chariots and whether non-Hindus would be permitted to climb chariots. But I have not yet given any advice or ruling because the previous meetings ended inconclusively.

Q: What if the temple takes a decision on its own without your consultation?

A: It won't bother me. Because, I came to know that the temple administration on its own dropped its plan of preventing devotees from climbing onto the chariots. They had not sought my opinion whether or not to drop the plan. In many states and abroad, temple bodies approached me for taking a call on religious matters in the past. Whenever I passed my decision, they never meddle with it. If the Puri temple administration really wants a firm decision, they should come to me.

Q: Do the traditional and Hindu scriptures disallow the pulling of chariots after sunset?

A: Chariots cannot be pulled after sundown. But the temple scriptures clearly say that the chariots were pulled with the help of fire (as there was no electricity in the past) in the evening. The temple administration never consulted me if they should pull the chariots in the evening. I can take a decision if they ask me.

Q: Many political dignitaries, including some chief ministers from other states, regularly visit you and seek your advice on political issues. How is spirituality and politics connected?

A: Political or social unrest can both be better managed by spiritual power. I patiently hear issues from political leaders and give advice them about peaceful steps for better governance. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has sought time to meet me during his proposed visit on July 16.

Q: We hardly see any political leader from the state or Odisha chief minister visiting you.

A: I doubt if the chief minister knows that a Sankaracharya Peeth exists in Puri. Though the state is plagued by a series of problems, including Maoist issue, neither the chief minister nor his ministers ever thought of seeking my advice. But my door is open for all.

Q: Do you think that the faith and devotion of devotees has been shattered after the Uttarakhand tragedy? Who do you blame for the tragedy?

A: The real cause of tragedy can be attributed to the local administration's modernization programmes in the Himalayan state by relocating some temples and blocking paths of the Ganges. Recently I warned some locals of not shifting a Goddess (Dhara Devi) near Dehradun for clearing an electrification project. People had laughed at me then. The nature showed its wrath and destruction.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 12, 2013.