Puri Srimandir Nata Mandap restoration work from tomorrow: SJTA 

From tomorrow, the restoration work of Puri Srimandir Nata Mandap (Dancing Hall) will be carried out between 6am and 10pm while keeping the safety of servitors and devotees in view, said the Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Ranjan Das on Thursday. 

In the wake of the Orissa High Court’s direction on the restoration work of the Nata Mandap, an important meeting was held on Thursday. After the meeting, Das, while briefing journalists said the restoration work will start from tomorrow morning. 

“Today, an NOC has been submitted to the ASI to start restoration work. From tomorrow, they will start preparing a working platform to conserve the cracked beams of the Nata Mandap near ‘Garuda Sthamba’. Because of Kartik month rituals and huge gathering of devotees, they may not get the time to work. However, they will work accordingly. After the Kartik month, they will get ample time. They have been permitted to work from 6 am to 10 pm. We have also deployed some staff to assist them in crowd management,” informed Das. 

Also Read: Nata Mandap, Jagamohan in critical state, anything may happen: Orissa High Court Amicus Curiae 

He also informed that the repair work of Lord’s ‘Ratna Palanka’ will start from Friday and a target has been set to finish the work by ‘Pana Sankranti’. 

“Though we are bound to follow the Orissa High Court’s direction, it is very difficult to work during the Kartik month. Since rituals are not fixed, the ASI will decide the nature of the work and the appropriate time of the work a day ahead after discussing with the commander,” said Madhav Mohapatra, Srimandir Managing Committee member.