KENDRAPADA, INDIA, December 11, 2006: Overruling caste-bound tradition and years of discrimination, hundreds of Dalits will enter a Jagannath temple in Kendrapada on December 20 after the high court last week gave a ruling in their favor. The upper caste community had barred Dalits from entering the 18th century shrine dedicated to Lord Jagannath in Keradagarh village, 28 miles from Kendrapada. But a division bench last week ruled that all Hindus had the right to enter any temple, irrespective of their caste. Though the Dalits had not asked for permission to organize a meeting at Keredagada on December 20, the administration would cooperate with them in entering the temple at any time and ill take legal action against anybody opposing the move, said district collector Kashinath Sahoo. Dalits comprise 400 of the village’s population of 1,400 people. In Chauriberhampur village, on the outskirts of Kendrapada town, Dalits built their own Shiva temple in April this year after being denied entry into the local temple. They appointed a Brahmin as priest at their new temple and allow people from upper castes to enter and worship.
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