43. Lord Jagannath's British Guardian

Lord Jagannath's British Guardian:

Paradoxically, the formal policy of the Jagannath temple to not allow foreigners or outcaste people originated with a law enacted by British "foreigners". For ages prior to this, low caste people, Muslims, visitors from other countries, and non-Hindus were not allowed. However, the temple policy to ban certain people was unofficial social custom based on the caste system. The official regulations began in 1803 while Orissa was under Maratha rule. While preparing their campaign against the Marathas, the British were very conscious of the vital role of the temple of Jagannath in the affairs of Orissa. On the day the British declared war on the Marathas, Lord Wellesley, the Governor General of the East India Company, sent a dispatch to Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, the commanding officer of the British forces in Orissa. The order was astonishing, considering that the author was a staunch Christian:

"On your arrival at Juggernaut you will employ every possible precaution to preserve the respect due to the pagoda (temple) and to the religious prejudices of the brahmins and pilgrims. You will furnish the brahmins with such guards as shall afford perfect security to their persons, rites and ceremonies, and to the sanctity of the religious edifices, and you will strictly enjoin those under your command to observe your orders on this important subject with the utmost degree of accuracy and vigilance."

The British forces conquered Orissa in 14 days. Afterwards, while they were camping by the village of Pipli, near Puri, a delegation of pandas from the Jagannath temple in Puri came to see Campbell. They informed him:

"The brahmins at the holy temple had consulted and applied to Juggernaut to inform them what power was now to have his temple under its protection, and that he (Jagannath) had given a decided answer that the English Government was in future to be his guardian."

When the British troops entered Puri on the 18th of September, they found no resistance. A day later, John Melville, the commissioner of Orissa, wrote to Wellesley that he had used "Jagannath's answer" as a device to win over the local kings. Realizing that possession of the Jagannath temple and the favor of the local people in Puri were crucial for controlling Orissa, Wellesly further instructed Campbell not to disturb the priests in Puri in any way. He said that the property of Jagannath should be properly used with respect for the customs and prejudices of the Hindus. And, significantly, he told Campbell, "No person should enter into the pagoda without the desire of the brahmins."

The British continued their policy of respect to Jagannath's temple and the priests there. In 1809 they enacted into law Section 7 of Regulation IV. This rule barred entry for 16 different castes to the temple of Jagannath:

1. Kusbee (prostitutes)

2. Cullal (liquor sellers)

3. Machoowa (fishermen) 

4. Numosooder (boatmen)

5. Ghooskee (private bad women) 6. Gazur (labourers who carry burdens on their heads)

7. Baugdee (fishers, laborers)

8. Joogee (weavers)

9. Kahar bawry (bearers)

10. Raujbunsee (different cast of boatmen)

11. Chamar (shoe-makers)

12. Dhomee (washermen)

13. Paun (basket-makers)

14. Teor (another cast of boat-men)

15. Bhoinmalee (makers of garlands for marriages)

16. Haddec (maters)

These 16 castes are not allowed to enter the temple to worship Juggernaut.

This policy of temple admittance established by the British continued until Indian independence in 1947. Just prior to Indian independence, Mahatma Gandhi and others began pushing for the lower castes of India to be allowed inside the Jagannath Mandir and other temples of India. In 1948, lower castes were first admitted to the Jagannath temple. However, the practice of barring various other people continued.