10000 diyas lit outside Lingaraj temple to celebrate new ordinance for the temple

The priests lit earthen lamps at the temple premises to celebrate and express gratitude to the state government for bringing an ordinance to handover management of the 11th century temple to a committee.

Priests of Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar on Monday evening lit 10,000 lamps outside the temple premises after Odisha Cabinet approved a separate Shri Lingaraj Temple Ordinance 2020 for vesting of the management of the 11th century temple and its properties, including temples situated within its premises, other temples, sacred places and mutts, in a committee for better administration and governance.

A State government official said separate law will help in proper execution of rituals and administration of the 11th century Lingaraj temple. (HT Photo)

The priests lit earthen lamps at the temple premises to celebrate and express gratitude to the state government.

On Monday evening, the state cabinet, presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik approved the law department’s proposed ordinance that would free up the temple from being governed by the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowment Act, 1951.

Officials said separate law will help in proper execution of rituals, management or administration of temple and its properties

“The Temple Trust was not able to properly execute such rituals due to limited power conferred under the existing law. As the government has recently proposed to undertake several developmental works for all-round development of Lingaraj temple, the law is being enacted through ordinance since the Odisha Assembly is not in session,” said an official.