news.bbc.co.uk

CALCUTTA, INDIA, September 15, 2006: Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court Vikash Sridhar Sirpurkar recently passed the following order excluding the aggressive pandaas, priest assistants, from working at the famous Kalighat temple located in the state of West Bengal, “No more than six designated priests called the sevayats shall be allowed into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and they will organize worship.” Justice Sirpurkar said that he had personally witnessed the abuse of the pandaas. The news release explains, “The pandaas, work as assistants to priests in Hindu temples across India and escort the devotees into the temple. They help worshippers perform the puja (worship), but are often accused of extorting money from devotees. The pandaas deny the allegations of harassment, saying they are a ‘bridge between the devotees and the priests’.” Devotee Sumantra Banerjee said, “The pandaas play on religious sentiments and charge the devotees exorbitantly.” Housewife Sanchita Dey a frequent visitor to the temple adds, “Once a pandaa gets hold of you from the road leading to the temple, you are completely under his control. He dictates how much sweets and flowers you have to buy. Once inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, the priests force you to give the money they want and if you don’t oblige, they use foul language. And after you leave the temple, you have to pay a hefty fee to the tout.” Pradipta Biswas sums up the sentiments, “From now on, we won’t have to face the harassment from the pandaas and we will be able to concentrate on the puja.”

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