Puri: A large number of Habisyali devotees observing the month long Kartik brata in the Tulasi Nivas alleged that the priests have misbehaved them publicly.
The devotees mostly from Kalahandi and Baleswar on Friday alleged that they were ill treated by a cross section of people including some servitors inside the Sri Jagannath temple.
They often pass derogatory remarks at them even in the presence of escorting police and government officials for coming to Puri to get free meals and disrespect them, the devotees known as “Habisyalis” said.
A number of devotees who had no prior registration but barged into the Brundabati nivas on October 10 last were, however, accommodated by the district administration.
After spending four days in the basement on Friday they got rooms with bed, ID cards and other facilities which were extended to registered devotees.
Puri Sub collector Bhabataran Sahu said 2935 registered devotees were reported on the first day of the Kartik brata on October 10 last.
They were housed in Brundabati Nibas, Bageria and Bagala dharamshala, Akshyay Patra building and in a Kalyan mandap ,the five designated centres opened by the state government.
Sahu said, the district administration has taken care of their all needs to enable them to observe the month-long brata. Apart from accommodation in pucca buildings they are provided with beds, blankets, mosquito nets, potable drinking water, tiffin and mahaprasad.
This apart medicos were posted to take care of their health. Scores of volunteers and government officials are rendering service at five centres, the Sub collector said.
Pundits were staging religious discourse every evening and reciting Kartik Mahatmya in all the five centres. The “Habisyalis” spend most of their time in Sri Jagannath temple and worship Radha Damodar before returning to their camp.
On the complaints of ill treatment of Habisyalis by some unscrupulous persons in Srimandir, Sahu said steps are being taken to stop it. (UNI)