Beneath the ancient chants, the rhythmic gongs and the ever-glowing lamps of the Jagannath Temple lies a story of communities, traditions and steadfast devotion. What if the heartbeat of Odisha’s spiritual legacy rests not only in age-old rituals, but also in the living lineage of individuals who have carried this heritage across centuries?

For hundreds of years, the Jagannath Temple in Puri has stood as a beacon of faith, culture and continuity. Its rituals, festivals and daily rhythms are sustained by two distinct groups: the sevayats, who serve the temple from within, and the Puri Pandas, the hereditary priests and guides who nurture the spiritual journey of millions of pilgrims. Together, they uphold the sanctity of one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in the Hindu world.

 Roots and Distinct Identities

The heart of Puri’s sacred ecosystem lies in the layered histories of these two communities. The sevayats are hereditary servitors whose roles are meticulously defined and passed down through generations. Temple records and modern studies describe over a hundred categories of service, from preparing the mahaprasad in the legendary temple kitchen, to maintaining the eternal lamps, organising festival paraphernalia, or performing daily rituals that structure the spiritual life of the temple.

Their responsibilities are not merely functional; they form a living tradition where knowledge is transferred within families, ensuring every gesture, chant and rite is preserved with precision.

The Puri Pandas operate differently, yet complementarily. Traditionally Brahmin guides and priests, they assist pilgrims in navigating the temple’s sacred pathways, arranging darshan, conducting rites, interpreting rituals, preserving family records and acting as custodians of memory for countless devotees. Their engagement does not end at the temple gate; it extends across regions, as pilgrims often develop long-standing relationships with their family panda.

Together, sevayats and pandas create a finely balanced system of inner and outer custodianship: one maintains the heart of the shrine, and the other connects that heart to the world.

 Ritual Roles: Guardians of Continuity

The sevayats’ service is rigorous and deeply codified. Many observe strict disciplines on their service days, abstaining from cooked food prepared outside the temple, maintaining ritual purity and following centuries-old codes of conduct. Within the temple, their responsibilities range from performing daily aarti to managing the complex operations of the kitchen, believed to be one of the largest functioning temple kitchens in the world.

The Puri Pandas, meanwhile, shoulder the mantle of cultural ambassadors. They guide pilgrims through rituals, explain the philosophy of Jagannath worship and help visitors navigate an environment shaped by tradition, symbolism and unbroken lineage. In many families, the panda becomes a lifelong spiritual companion, a link between individual faith and the temple’s collective heritage.

 Chaki Khuntia: A Panda and a Patriot

One of the most compelling figures to emerge from the ranks of the Puri Pandas is Chakhi Khuntia, whose name is woven into accounts of the 1857 uprising. Remembered in regional histories, Khuntia is known to have used his influence and movements across northern India to inspire and support those involved in the revolt against British rule. His story illustrates how the spiritual and the political sometimes intersected in Puri, where a panda, known primarily for guiding pilgrims, could also become a quiet force of resistance.

Khuntia’s legacy broadens the understanding of what temple service meant in different eras: not merely ritual authority, but also a capacity to uphold cultural identity in moments of national upheaval.

 Living Traditions in Contemporary Odisha

Despite the pressures of modernity, such as administrative reforms, tourism-driven dynamics and changing social expectations, many of the temple’s essential rituals remain largely unaltered. Sevayats continue to follow traditional disciplines; the mahaprasad is still cooked in the time-honoured manner; festival cycles still follow classical calendars; and the precise choreography of service continues as it has for generations.

The Pandas, too, retain their relevance. In an age of rapid mobility and fragmented attention, they play a crucial role in helping pilgrims connect with the deeper meanings of the temple experience. Their guidance remains vital in maintaining a sense of coherence in a vastly diverse pilgrim population.

Together, these two groups preserve a continuity that is increasingly rare: a tradition that lives not through monuments alone, but through people, their knowledge, their memory and their devotion.

 A Living Tapestry of Faith and Identity

The Jagannath Temple is more than an architectural masterpiece or a site of ritual performance. It is a living institution, held together by a network of families who have dedicated their lives to its service. The sevayats keep the rituals breathing; the Pandas keep the stories moving across generations. One preserves the sanctum; the other connects it to the world.

In their hands, Puri becomes a tapestry woven from devotion, discipline, folklore, philosophy and social history. Their combined legacy shows that religion is not static; it adapts, absorbs, renews and persists. Whether tending lamps, guiding pilgrims or safeguarding ancient routines, these communities ensure that Jagannath worship continues to resonate through centuries, cultures and countless lives.

As long as the temple stands, the sevayats and Pandas will remain its heartbeat: custodians of faith, interpreters of tradition and the quiet carriers of Odisha’s spiritual soul.