Puri, Dec 31: A controversy has erupted over the Jagannath Temple calendar released by the temple administration for the New Year, after devotees noticed a serious error in the depiction of the deities.

In the calendar, Lord Jagannath’s image appears in place of Lord Balabhadra, while Lord Balabhadra’s image is shown in place of Lord Jagannath.

The temple administration had prepared table calendars, wall calendars, and diaries for distribution and sale to mark the English New Year. However, the error has sparked widespread dissatisfaction among devotees and observers.

The issue was further compounded by another image in the calendar showing the Rath Yatra procession. In the photo, Devi Subhadra’s chariot is depicted first, followed by Lord Jagannath’s chariot, and finally Lord Balabhadra’s chariot—contrary to the traditional sequence.

Responding to the criticism, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) clarified that the image was taken from an ancient palm-leaf artwork dating back 300–400 years. Officials explained that the artwork was included in the calendar purely as a representation of the artist’s creativity, not as an official depiction of the deities.

Despite the clarification, the error has drawn sharp reactions, with many devotees expressing disappointment over the lapse in accuracy in such a sensitive publication.