Targeting the government, Gajapati said, “The State government is responsible for smooth conduct of rituals at Srimandir. It should be the top priority for the government to serve the Lord Jagannath.”

Srimandir was the top priority in monarchy for the then Gajapatis. The entire kingdom had bowed to Lord Jagannath and even the then Gajapati had surrendered before the Lord, said Gajapati, who is the first servitor of Lord Jagannath.

“The government took the management charge of the temple from Gajapati in the year 1960. We have to recall the tradition. Even in democracy and free nation, we have to give priorities to Srimandir and Lord Jagannath,” he told the reporters here today.

Meanwhile, the temple administration has ordered a probe into yesterday’s disruption in rituals at the centuries-old shrine.

The issue will be probed and action will be taken against persons responsible for the disruption in temple rituals, informed the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Pradipta Mohapatra.

Notably, the hours-long delay in conducting daily rituals of deities at Srimandir following a standoff between servitors and cops had prevented thousands of devotees from having darshan of Lord Jagannath inside the temple on Friday.

The gates of the temple had remained closed triggering resentment among devotees. The tension prevailed in front of Singhadwara (main entrance) of the temple when irate devotees barged into the temple after breaking the barricades and scuffled with the cops present on the spot after waiting for over 13 hours.

Finally, ending the deadlock the Jaya Vijay Dwar (door in sanctum sanctorum) was opened at the Jagannath Temple following discussion with the SJTA and servitors in the evening.