The Orissa High Court-appointed amicus curiae, N K Mohanty, in his report submitted to the state’s apex court, has warned the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) that the Nata Mandap and the Jagamohan are in a critical state and anything can happen at any moment.
If anything happens, it will have a deleterious impact on Srimandir as well, Mohanty stated.
Amicus curiae Mohanty’s report is based on the petition filed by a person regarding the safety of the Nata Mandap and the Jagamohan of Puri Srimandir.
Informing about the facts mentioned in the report, the petitioner’s advocate Alok Mohapatra said, “The amicus curiae has stated in his report that the main beam of the Nata Mandap is doing the job of a cantilever from both sides. It is in a pathetic state. Any mishap can happen at any moment.”
“He has also mentioned that no works are being carried out at the Jagamohan as the ASI has mentioned in its report submitted to the High Court. There are many works remaining to be done. The crack developed in the ‘pidha’ of the Jagamohan is also visible. And the layers of the stones have also been displaced. The iron beam is also getting damaged due to rust,” Mohapatra said.
Meanwhile, the servitors have expressed their concern, stating beautification works are being carried out outside the temple while the inside is getting hollow.
“The outside of the temple is shining but the inside is getting damaged. I demand if any artifact or stone design is damaged, replace them with similar designs immediately,” said senior servitor, Hajuri Krushnachandra Khuntia.
Another senior servitor Binayak Das Mohapatra said, “At a time when the Nata Mandap is yet to be repaired, the fate of the Ratna Bhandar can be understood. The ASI is doing nothing.”
“If the government is launching several programmes in the name of the Lord Jagannath, it should also be careful about the safety of the Srimandir,” rued Nrusingha Mohanty, a Puri resident.
When contacted over his mobile phone, ASI superintendent D B Garnayak said, “Cracks have developed but they are minor in nature. Like the repair work carried out at the Jagamohan, they would be repaired. For this, structural design engineers would give a design and it would be implemented only after our approval.”
The next date fixed for the hearing of the petition is September 13.