ASI to reinstall dislodged Hiranyakasyapu idol soon

BHUBANESWAR/PURI : A team of officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) including its Joint Director General Col. Arunendra Kumar reviewed the repair works being undertaken at Ugra Nrushingha temple inside the 12th century Sri Jagannath temple complex at Puri on Wednesday.

The Ugra Nrushingha temple is located near the Western Gates (Paschima Dwara) of the Srimandir. An idol of Hiranyakasyapu dislodged from the Nrushingha temple on March 28 and fell on a servitor, leaving him injured. The idol - sculpted from black granite - was installed in the lap of Ugra Nrusingha idol with the help of clamps. ASI officials said both legs of the Hiranyakasyapu idol and the clamps that held the idol to the structure were broken. 

The Joint Director General informed that the idol of Hiranyakasyapu was dislodged after a servitor climbed on it to perform some rituals. “Since the idol is an ancient one, it could not bear the weight and was dislodged”, he said.

ASI Superintending Archaeologist, Bhubaneswar Circle, Arun Mallick informed that mending of the damaged idol is currently underway and would be installed back in its original pedestal by next week. The repair work is being carried out as per the conservation norms of the Central agency. Col Kumar also reviewed the ongoing renovation of Meghnad Pacheri (outer boundary wall of the shrine).