Deep discontent has gripped devotees at Bhubaneswar’s Lingaraj Temple as daily rituals came to a grinding halt today at 9:00 AM. The disruption stems from a heated dispute between the Badu Niyog and Suar Niyog over a silver cover within the sanctum sanctorum.
What began as a quarrel reportedly escalated into violence. Badu Niyog secretary, Kamalakanta Badu, has filed a police complaint alleging that Suar Niyog members stole the deity’s cover and issued death threats when confronted.
While such jurisdictional clashes between servitors are not new to the temple, the intensity of this standoff has left the sanctum silent and pilgrims stranded.
The temple administration and local police are currently mediating to resolve the tension and resume the holy rituals. For now, the gates of the Garbhagriha remain a site of unrest rather than worship.