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4 years ago

Jagamohan of Puri Temple May Collapse Anytime: ASI Official

News

4 years ago

Structural condition of Jagamohan, a sprawling prayer hall facing the sanctum sanctorum of Puri’s famous Jagannath Temple, is highly unsafe and might collapse anytime. This is the fear expressed by Gopal Chandra Mitra, who on Sunday resigned as the acting chairman of a technical core committee set up by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for supervision of the conservation work at the temple.

Mitra reportedly quit in a huff after the ASI last week rejected an estimation and repair plan of the Jagamohan hall, prepared by the core committee.

“I do not want to reveal the exact reason behind my resignation. All I want to say is that the Jagamohan structure needs urgent repair. There are cracks in stone joints, beams and pillars of Jagamohan. A mishap may occur any time,” Mitra said.

Mitra apprehended Jagannath Temple might face the fate of Sun Temple in Konark if immediate restoration work is not carried out.

“Problems had occurred in the Sun Temple, leading to collapse of pillars, so it had to be filled with sand to protect the monument,” he said.

On March 29, the committee’s chairman and retired professor of IIT-Kharagpur AP Gupta inspected the condition of the hall and recommended installation of steel structures to strengthen the four pillars.

On May 5, the ASI headquarters in Delhi disapproved the core committee’s estimation for an expenditure of Rs 2.5 crore towards purchase of stainless steel to be used in the repair work.

The poor upkeep of Jagannath Temple has become a political issue with ruling BJD and opposition Congress and BJP training their guns on the ASI.

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“It is high time the ASI and the Union culture ministry wake up to protect the Jagannath Temple,” said senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March and drew his attention about the ASI’s poor show.

“Though the PM directed the culture minister to ensure expeditious repair of the temple, the ASI is not serious at all,” Mohapatra said.

Leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra said the ASI lacks interest to protect the 12th century shrine.

“ASI has been neglecting the Jagannath Temple. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik should meet the Prime Minister and discuss the issue,” Mishra said.

State Congress president Prasad Harichandan said the Centre should direct the ASI for expeditious repair of the Jagamohan.

On Friday, Naveen wrote to Modi and sought his “immediate intervention” for safety of the 12th century shrine.

Naveen described the condition of Jagamohan as “alarming” and flayed the ASI’s ‘lackadaisical attitude.’ He said the state government is ready to undertake to bear all the expenditure of the repair work.

History of Puri Temple Structure

According to the recently discovered copper plates from the Ganga dynasty, the construction of the current Jagannath temple was initiated by the ruler of Kalinga, ‘Anantavarman Chodaganga’.

The Jagamohan and the Vimana portions of the temple were built during his reign (1078 – 1148 CE).

However, it was only in the year 1174 CE that the Oriya ruler Ananga Bhima Deva rebuilt the temple to give a shape in which it stands today.

Unknown Facts about Puri Temple

1 – The flag atop the temple has been observed to flap in the opposite direction of the breeze.

2 – Irrespective of where you stand in Puri, it seems to you that the Sudarshana Chakra on top of the temple is always facing you.

3 – Usually in coastal areas during the day-time, the breeze blows from the sea towards the land and during evening hours it blows from the land towards the sea. But in the case of Puri it is the reverse.

4 – No birds fly above the Jagannath temple in Puri.

5 – The shadow of the main dome of Jagannath temple is not visible, whatever be the time of day. Maybe an architectural feat or the Lord’s desire.

6 – The food cooked inside the temple everyday will not go waste.

Courtesy: The Times of India

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1 Reaction

  1. sanjoysatpathy said on

    May 22, 2016

    We are only interested in attaching TAGS to different Heritage without proper maintainance.The temple of Puri has a huge earning and with that money it should have been repaied and maintained.Unlike Tirupati this place has not improved even after six hundred years.Not a single famous university or good stadium or a hospital.These are few educational institute which came up hundred years after Jaganath temple but has–Sri Venkateswara Vedic University, Tirumala
    Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional sculpture and Architecture, Tirupati
    Sri Venkateswara College of Music and Dance, Tirupati
    Sri Venkateswara Ayurvedic College, Tirupati
    Sri Venkateswara Yoga Institute, Tirupati
    Sri Venkateswara Polytechnic for the Physically Challenged (SVPPC), Tirupati
    Sri Padmavati Womans Polytechnic college, Tirupati
    Sri Venkateswara College, New Delhi

    Reply

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