Puri Srimandir sanctum sanctorum safe, asserts ASI DG

The Garbhagruha (sanctum sanctorum) of Lord Jagannath temple in Puri is safe, informed the Director General (DG) of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Kishore Basa on Thursday.

ASI officials asserted the safety of Srimandir following an inspection of Garbhagruha, Jagamohan and Natyamandap of the 12th century shrine today.

ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak also accompanied Basa during the inspection.

As per the officials, there is nothing to worry about the safety of Srimandir as Garbhagruha, Jagamohan and Natyamandap are completely safe. 

Also Read | Suna Besha 2023: Sibling Deities of Puri Srimandir set to Dazzle in Golden Avatar Today

“We had a meeting of the core technical committee of ASI on June 12. Renowned engineers, architects and archeologists of ASI and some officials of the Odisha government gave their expert opinions on how to strengthen the conservation work of Srimandir. As per their suggestions, the conservation process of Srmandir will continue,” said ASI DG Kishore Basa.

“I assure that there will be no neglect in the safety and conservation of Srimandir,” he added.

Meanwhile, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak said that Iron riddles have been put up at certain places to prevent rodents from entering the Garbhagruha.

“The iron beams in the southern pocket of Srimandir have been replaced with stones. Wet and dry cleaning of Garbhagruha has been done as per the guidelines every year. Cockroaches and mice enter Garbhagruha due to dampness. We have conducted dry cleaning of Garbhagruha and put iron riddles at certain places to keep the rodents at bay. It’s difficult to find the entry point of the rodents. Let’s see what happens,” said Gadanayak.

“The safety and conservation of Srimandir are monitored by a core committee of ASI at regular intervals. There is nothing to worry about,” he added.