PONDA: The District Court at Ponda on Tuesday dismissed the petition of the Mahajans, which had prayed for the appointment of an administrator for conducting the annual Marcaim Navdurga Zatra.
Speaking to mediapersons after the Court gave its order, Adv Digambar Naik who is representing the Devi Navdurga Prathishtan welcomed the decision. He explained that the Marcaim Navdurga Temple Committee Mahajans had filed a petition in the District Session Court Ponda on November 15, asking for the appointment of an Administrator for conducting the annual zatra celebration and taking custody of offerings to Goddess Navdurga from the devotees during the festival.
He further stated that the Devi Navdurga Prathishtan, which is representing the locals in the court against the Mahajans, had opposed the appointment of an administrator citing that there is no need of an administrator for celebrating the zatra festival.
He added that in the past, an Administrator had been appointed but had failed to take proper decisions including what needed to be done with several kilos of rice that had been offered to the Goddess, which later had to be thrown out. Marcaim locals welcomed the court’s decision.
It may be recalled that since 2016, there has been a court matter between the Mahajans of the Navdurga temple against the locals who are fighting under the banner of Devi Navdurga Prathishtan. The dispute between the two parties is over the ownership of the temple and idol of Navdurga.
