Odisha Board Restores Jagannath’s Sacred Land in Puri
Puri, Odisha: In a landmark decision, the Odisha Board of Revenue has ordered the restoration of Amruta Manohee land near Gundicha Temple to Lord Jagannath, striking down attempts to privatise the sacred property.
The land, originally recorded in 1889 as temple endowment property, was altered in 2002 to private ownership and subsequently sold.
The Board ruled that such transfers violated Section 16(2) of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, which requires prior state approval for alienation of temple lands.
Government Advocate Ambika Prasad Mishra argued strongly for the temple’s rights, leading to the Board’s directive to correct records and restore 1.5 acres of land under “Sri Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bijaye, Puri, Amruta Manohee status.”
The Chief Administrator of Sri Mandir has been instructed to bring the property back into temple accounts.
This ruling sets a precedent, reinforcing that sacred temple lands cannot be encroached upon or alienated through private sale deeds, safeguarding Odisha’s cultural and religious heritage.
