De-plastering of Puri temple: ASI forms panel

BHUBANESWAR: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has constituted a committee to chart out the action plan for carrying out de-plastering of the ‘Jagamohan’ of Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri. Sources said the Director General (DG) of ASI has formed a panel which will lay out the roadmap for the important work which the Orissa Government wants to be wrapped up before the significant ‘Navakalevar’ in 2015. While the DG is chairman of the committee, senior officials will advise the panel on how to go about the de-plastering which has assumed very sensitive proportions after the recent stone fall. Since the 12th century edifice attracts thousands of devotees from across the country everyday, de-plastering will have to be taken up with utmost care. “The ASI needs to be careful about visitors’ movement since a small incident can get out of hand,” sources said. The ASI has been awaiting the nod of the Government as well as temple administration to start the work. But there has been no progress on it yet. Since the role of sevayats will be important in the whole exercise, the ASI is seeking a clear-cut signal from the Government as well as temple administration on the matter. “Given the sensitiveness of the work, we will need certain issues to be sorted out, such as regulation on movement of visitors and devotees during the de-plastering but it has to be done with support from the servitors. That assurance has to be given to ASI before the work starts,” the sources said. The State Government, which has been vocal about the ASI’s conservation measures, was to hold a meeting to sort out the formalities for the de-plastering exercise but it has not been convened yet. After a huge stone fell off the western gate of the temple earlier this month, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had shot off a strong letter to Union Culture Minister Kumari Shelja over the conservation work. It was in August Chief Secretary B K Patnaik had held a meeting over the de-plastering work and had issued instructions that it must start early so that the ‘Navakalevar’ deadline can be met. Meanwhile, the ASI’s Orissa Circle Office has completed restoration of ‘stone tops’ at the western gate of the temple. The work for the inner circle of the gate too has been finished. It is now gearing up for restoration of the northern gate of the shrine.