ASI told to inspect small shrines in Jagannath temple

The Orissa High Court on Tuesday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to inspect all the small temples and the Mukti Mandap located in the premises of the Jagannath temple in Puri and report to the court within a month stating as to whether any of the structures needed any repair works.

“It’s one of the satisfying days for all Jagannath devotees for the High Court has now decided to monitor the repair works of all the small temples adjacent to the Bada Deula (the Grand Temple),” said senior advocate Ahok Mohapatra, who is arguing the case for the petitioner Abhisek Das, who has approached the court since almost two years ago seeking its intervention in the repair works of the Jagamohan (prayer hall) of the temple.

The court also asked the Puri district administration and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to cooperate and extend all necessary support to the ASI in carrying out its inspection. The inspection of the side temples would be carried out from May 1 to May 31 after a core committee meeting of the temple to be held on April 27. Prominent temples in the main shrine’s premises include Nrushingha, Bimala, Mahalakshmi, Surya, Pancha Mahadeva, Satya Narayana, Bata Mangala and Ganesh temples.

In another developement, the temple administration submitted an affidavit in the court on Tuesday stating that the orders passed by the court on April 10 and April 19 have been complied with. The SJTA’s affidavit said that as per the directions of the court, the Jagamohan has been thrown open to the devotees, who are having a darshan of the deities from the Bhitar Katha.