Puri: Pradmashree Sudarsan Pattnaik today wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for immediate repair and maintenance work of Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath temple, Puri.
Renowned Sand Sculptor Shri Pattnaik, a Member of Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, congratulated the Chief Minister for taking the significant decision to open four doors of the temple of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, Puri respecting the religious thoughts of devotee’s long demand.
Mahaprabhu Jagannath is a unique Hindu God as he is called the Lord of the Universe. The temple is of very ancient origin and is the trail blazer of Odisha’s cultural & architectural legacy making every Odia proud, he said.
“Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is mandated to repair and maintain this classical temple as necessary. In 2018, the technical committee of ASI inspected the inner Ratna Bhandar Chamber (BhandaraGhara)and found many structural problems/damages in the walls, ceiling, and in overall basement structure,” he pointed out.
The ASI had recommended immediate repair of the issues to fix them. It has not been acted upon even after 6 long years thus the damages might have further deteriorated by now. The laser scanning done in February 2024 also detected cracks on the outside of Ratna Bhandar, he apprehended.
He requested the CM to instruct ASI to take up the repair and maintenance work of inner Ratna Bhandar immediately, as the forthcoming monsoon may cause further damage and threaten the integrity of the entire temple structure.