GAYA JI, Aug. 31 -- Ending a half-a-century-old dispute over ownership that had also reached the Supreme Court, the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT) has handed over the administration of the historic Jagannath Temple at Bodh Gaya to the Shankaraite Bodh Gaya Math. Located near the northeast corner of the Mahabodhi Mahavihar complex, the ancient Jagannath Temple (which houses idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra) was historically managed by the Bodh Gaya Math through traditional lineages. It was later overseen via the Jagannath Mandir Nyas Samiti under the state trust board, but this new order formally consolidates its administration back under the Math's direct authority. Built around 1780, it is situated 25 feet north of the world-famous Mahabodhi Temple. It was renovated and given a completely refurbished look in 2015. Every year, in June-July, coinciding with the commencement of the Rath Yatra from Jagannath Puri in Orissa, a grand Rath Yatra, attracting thousands of devotees, is also organized here. The temple was managed by the ancient Bodh Gaya Math and was under one of the 17 trusts managed by the Math. A dispute arose in 1977 after the state government acquired the property of the 17 trusts under land ceiling regulations and recognized the Math as a single trust awarding it only 100 acres of land. Math's mahant (head priest) filed a CWJC in Patna HC in 1977 and later a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court in 1985 but both courts upheld the government's stand. Over time, the Jagannath Temple fell into a dilapidated state and suffered negligence. The BSBRT's then administrator Acharya Kishor Kunal formed a renovation committee headed by the DM of Gaya in 2007. After the renovation work was completed, with major contributions from industrialist Shiv Ram Dalmia and his wife Usha Dalmia, the BSBRT formed an 11-member committee to manage its affairs for five years in 2015. This committee was reconstituted in 2021, with DM Gaya and Usha Dalmia as chairman and vice-chairman respectively, former committee member Brijendra Chaubey said. The committee's tenure ended on August 24. On August 20, Bodh Gaya Math Mahant Triveni Giri approached the BSBRT and requested control of the Jagannath Temple in light of the court orders and other title documents. In its order undersigned by chairman Ranveer Nandan (a copy of which is with HT), the BSBRT said: "Henceforth, based on a review of the documents available on file and considering the aforementioned facts, court orders, and land-related records, it is established that the Jagannath Temple is an integral part of the Bodh Gaya Math. Furthermore, in view of the ancient traditions of the Bodh Gaya Math, the responsibility for the security, management, and operation of the Jagannath Temple and its assets is hereby fully entrusted to the Bodh Gaya Math". The Board also directed all members of the former Trust Committee to hand over the charge of the Jagannath Temple, the bank account, and all related documents to Mahant Triveni Giri of the Bodh Gaya Math....