Puri Shree Jagannath Temple servitor dies on temple grounds

Bhubaneswar, Jan 15: In a heartbreaking incident, a servitor at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri lost his life after experiencing chest pain on the temple grounds on Wednesday. The deceased, identified as Jagannath Mekap, was a resident of Dolamandap Sahi and served as a Suarbadu servitor at the historic 12th-century shrine.

Reports indicate that Mekap collapsed while performing his duties during the Dwiprahar Dhoopa ritual for Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, in the afternoon. After he expressed discomfort, fellow servitors and temple officials quickly transported him to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). Tragically, he was pronounced dead upon arrival by the medical staff.

Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain noted that Mekap had been undergoing treatment for a heart condition for the past two years. "He was receiving care at CARE Hospitals, and unfortunately, during the rituals, he suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the doctors declared him dead," he said. This incident has left the temple community in mourning as they remember Mekap's dedicated service.