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Stone missing from Jagannath statue's forehead

A search has been mounted by the Sri Jagannath temple administration in Puri to locate a precious stone which has been missing from the chita, a piece of ornament on the forehead of the deity of Lord Jagannath, on Wednesday, according to temple sources.

The authorities came to know about the missing stone when a sevayat pointed it out last night, the sources said.

Since all sevayats (helpers) are not permitted to come near the Ratna Singhashan of the sanctum sanctorum, those having access to the place were deployed to locate the stone.

However, no FIR had been lodged with the police, the sources said.

As per the age-old tradition, the chita is taken out on Snan Purnima day, about 17 days prior to the car festival, and is put back on the deity on new moon day of the month of Shravan, which fell on July 31 this time.

The chita had been cleaned by a goldsmith in the presence of the temple officials and sevayats on July 30 and fixed on the deity the next day, the sources said.

When a separate group of sevayats came to paint the deities Wedensday evening, one of them discovered that the stone was missing and informed the temple administration.

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