**Puri:** Today the Srimandir Managing Committee appointed Sub-Committee on land of ‘Govardhan Peeth’ met for the first time at Puri under the Chairmanship of Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb.
The sub-committee echoed the views of the Managing Committee that Govardhan Peeth belongs to Jagadguru Shankaracharya and it has a special and independent position in Puri, Gajapati said.
“The status of Govardhan Peeth is not only special to Sanatan Dharma, but also in the cult and tradition of Puri Jagannath temple. This has been specified in the Record of Rights,” he added.
The Govardhan Peetha’s land requires a special status but the decision has to be taken by the State Government. The managing committe will communicate the decision to the State Government.
The States where three other Shankaracharya Peeths are present, have made special arrangements for the land belonging to the Peeths. That land is not under the Endowment wing of the State Governments, and the system is under the control of the Shankaracharya there, informed the Govardhan Peeth delegates at the meeting.
“We have also requested the Govardhan Peeth representatives to propose to the Government for providing the land an independent status, at par with the system in other states,” the Gajapati said.
Among others, SJTA Chief Pradipta Mohapatra, Collector Arvind Agarwal, Endowment Commissioner, Additional Secretary Law and other senior officials were present.