Bhubaneswar, July 26, 2013: The servitors of Jagannath temple in Puri on Thursday said they would ban foreigners from climbing the chariots of the deities during the annual rath yatra from next year. “No foreigners would be allowed to climb the chariots from next year onwards,” said chief servitor of the temple Swain Das Mohapatra. The announcement came four days after an Italian-born Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi alleged that she was beaten up on a chariot for allegedly refusing to pay Rs.1,000 to a priest.

Source: The Hindu, July 26, 2013