Nepal’s Gen Z revolution has created a lot of uproar across the country. The violent protests by Gen Z led to the fall of the KP Oli government and severe violence broke out across the country. The famous Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha, has come to the fore behind this tragic incident in Nepal. Some devotees of the Jagannath temple have linked the unrest in Nepal to the stoppage of musk supply to the temple. They say that this musk is essential for the temple’s rituals, which used to come from Nepal. According to the devotees, the temple’s traditions and religious rituals are being affected due to the non-availability of musk from Nepal.
Here’s why musk is useful
The devotees say that natural musk is used in the temple’s daily and special rituals. It is especially used in the secret ritual called Banak Laghi, in which the deities are adorned. In addition, this musk also helps in protecting the statues made of neem wood from insects and enhances the beauty of Lord Jagannath’s face.
The king of Nepal used to send musk regularly. Musk is obtained from musk deer found near the Mansarovar lake in the Kailash region. Earlier, the kings of Nepal used to send it regularly to Puri, as there was a deep spiritual connection between them and the Jagannath temple. When the kings of Nepal came to Puri, they got the special privilege of worshiping Lord Jagannath on the Ratna Sanshana. Sevaks say that in the last few decades, due to the Wildlife Protection Act, Nepal has stopped the supply of musk. This has affected the rituals of the temple.
Natural disasters have happened in the past
Earlier, when the supply of musk was stopped, natural disasters like earthquakes occurred in Nepal. These events are related to each other. Chunara devotees have appealed to the temple administration and the Indian government to take steps to resume the supply of musk. The example of Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal is given, which is considered a spiritual link to Kedarnath in India. This shows the cultural and religious ties between the two temples.
Spiritual bond will weaken
The devotees believe that the shortage of musk will not only affect the worship place, but also weaken the ancient spiritual bond between Nepal and Puri. Banak Lakhi is associated with the worship place. Sevak Sanjay Kumar Dutt Mahapatra says that the worship place is incomplete without musk. Despite repeated requests, the temple administration says that the Nepalese king has stopped sending musk. Similarly, Pandit Santosh Kumar Das of Mukti Mandap says that the king of Nepal is from the Surya dynasty and the Gajapati king of Puri is from the Chandra dynasty. The Jagannath tradition connects both the dynasties and musk has been a part of this sacred heritage. The devotees say that without Kasturi, daily worship is affected and Nepal-Puri relations are also weakening. They want the government to resolve the issue so that the temple tradition can continue.
