Kolkata, Sep 16 (IANS) The Kalighat temple here will no longer have pandas harassing devotees.
To end the bullying tactics of the pandas, the middlemen who assist devotees with their ritual offerings, the Calcutta High Court Friday delivered an "experimental" verdict, prohibiting their entry into the temple's garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum).
"No one except priests appointed by the temple committee will be allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum," ruled the division bench consisting of Chief Justice V.S. Sirpurkar and Justice Nadira Patherya.
The court directed the police to ensure that no devotee is harassed by the pandas at the temple.
Once the temple is closed at night, the sealed cash offering boxes will be opened in front of a temple committee representative, the sebayet, the person in charge of the daily puja, and a police officer.
After paying the sebayet his dues, the committee is to deposit the amount in the bank the next morning.
The order also mentioned that the civic body entrusted by the state to beautify the temple has received Rs.10 million from the International Fund for Sustainable Development and it will start work within two weeks.